A charity has been awarded thousands of pounds worth of funding from the National Lottery.

Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering are celebrating after being given £10,000 to help support older people who are lonely or isolated.

The group, based in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, will use the money to provide further befriending support for those that are lonely or unable to get out through its Forget me Not befriending service.

Adnreea Albu, CEO of Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering said: "This funding enables us to increase the number of Volunteer Befrienders on our service and deliver more home visits to older people who live on their own and have a reduced network of support."

Volunteers make over 2500 telephone calls each month to older people and also conduct home visits.

The new funding will see the service extended to more older people, enabling the charity to support 300 more people each month.