Ashridge Home Care joins the Chatty Café Scheme to help tackle loneliness amongst the elderly in Amersham
Ashridge Home Care, an award-winning Amersham-based home care provider, is proud to announce that it has joined The Chatty Café Scheme. A nationwide initiative, The Chatty Café Scheme helps reduce loneliness and social isolation by encouraging people to stop, chat and connect with others in their community.
The company will host a monthly Chatter & Natter Table at its headquarters in Old Amersham on the fourth Thursday of every month, beginning on Thursday 25 September between 230pm-4pm.
The Chatter & Natter Table provides a welcoming space where everyone can pull up a chair, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and have a friendly chat. The initiative aims to support older members of the community, family carers and those who may benefit from companionship, conversation and local support. It is also open to friends, neighbours and relatives who would like to connect with others and find out more about the support available to help people remain independent at home.
About the scheme
Founded by Alexandra Hoskyn, The Chatty Café Scheme was created after she noticed how isolated people had become in public spaces, despite being surrounded by others. Today, the initiative operates across the UK, creating opportunities for conversation, friendship and community connection.
Trudi Scrivener, Founder of Ashridge Home Care, said: “Keeping people connected to their communities is one of the core values of Ashridge Home Care. Loneliness can have a significant impact on people’s wellbeing, regardless of age, and we believe that something as simple as a friendly conversation can make a real difference to someone’s day.”
“We realised there wasn’t currently a regular Chatty Café or Chatter & Natter Table in Amersham, so we wanted to do something positive for our local community. Our office in Old Amersham is already a place where carers, clients and their families regularly pop in for support, advice or simply a chat. There’s always tea, coffee, cake and biscuits on offer, and a friendly ear on standby, so becoming part of The Chatty Café Scheme felt like a natural extension of what we already do.”
She continued: “The Chatter & Natter Table perfectly complements the community activities we already provide across Buckinghamshire. In addition to our care services, we regularly run Memory Cafés in a number of locations, providing people living with dementia, their families and carers with an opportunity to meet others, share experiences and access support in a relaxed environment. By joining The Chatty Café Scheme, we hope to create another welcoming space for older people to stay connected and feel part of their local community.”
Celebrating 10 years of Ashridge Home Care
This year is particularly significant for Ashridge Home Care as the company celebrates its 10th anniversary. Throughout the past decade, keeping people connected to their communities, friends and loved ones has remained at the heart of its approach to care.
Ashridge Home Care has been supporting people across Buckinghamshire and the Home Counties since 2016. Founder Trudi Scrivener is passionate about helping people remain independent in the homes they love, particularly those living with dementia, for whom companionship and social connection can be just as important as practical support.
The award-winning provider offers 24-hour live-in care, hourly visiting care and respite care, helping people maintain their independence while remaining connected to their local communities. Services range from companionship visits and support with daily activities to helping clients get out and about, attend appointments, enjoy social activities and continue doing the things they love.
Research published by Coventry University found that 100% of Chatter & Natter table users surveyed said the initiative helped them feel less lonely and socially isolated, while 97% of participating venues reported that the tables encouraged community spirit.
Ashridge Home Care hopes the monthly gathering will provide a welcoming and inclusive space where local people can build connections, enjoy companionship and strengthen community ties.
Join our Chatter and Natter
The Chatter & Natter Table will take place on the fourth Thursday of every month from 2.30pm to 4.00pm at Ashridge Home Care’s Old Amersham office, beginning on Thursday 25 September. Anyone interested in attending can find out more by contacting hello@ashridgehomecare.co.uk. Tea, coffee, cake and biscuits will be provided, along with a warm welcome and a friendly chat.
For more information about The Chatty Café Scheme, visit:
https://thechattycafescheme.co.uk/
About the Chatty Café Scheme
The Chatty Café Scheme was set up in April 2017 by Alex Hoskyn who, a year earlier when her son was four months old, noticed how much you can be out of the house yet have no interaction with another person.
On one of her usual visits to the local town centre with the pram, she sat in a café and observed an elderly lady sitting on her own looking fed up. On another table was a young man with additional needs and a carer and they were looking round the room not making conversation with each other. Then there was Alex and her baby: she was finding the experience of being a new mum a big shock to the system, and quite lonely and isolating. She thought about how nice it might be if there was a table where customers could sit if they were happy to talk to other customers. A year later The Chatty Café Scheme was created, and the Chatter & Natter tables began.
About Ashridge Home Care
Ashridge Home Care is an award-winning home care provider based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. Founded by Trudi Scrivener, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the care sector, the company is dedicated to helping people live safely, comfortably and independently in the homes they love.
Providing 24-hour live-in care, hourly visiting care, dementia care, companionship and respite care, Ashridge Home Care supports clients across Buckinghamshire and throughout the UK. We believe that home is where the heart is and that anyone who wishes to should be able to remain in their own home for as long as possible, surrounded by familiar people, places and routines.
Guided by the values of trust, compassion, respect and knowledge, Ashridge Home Care delivers personalised, relationship-led care that places clients and their families at the centre of everything it does.
