Pro bono warriors

The pro bono contribution of solicitors, so ably and deservedly acknowledged in your issues, takes no account of the huge contribution of the profession, outside working hours, as members of the voluntary sector.

Despite the pressures of professional life, solicitor volunteers have provided a regular lifeline of care and commitment to Contact the Elderly over many years, by bringing companionship into the lives of several thousand isolated and frail elderly people throughout the UK.

Some of these solicitors have received awards for 10 and even 20 years' outstanding service, as driver and host volunteers at Contact the Elderly's Sunday afternoon tea outings.

Mother Teresa said 'being alone and unwanted is the world's greatest disease'.

These words remind us that Sunday can be the loneliest day of the week if you are old and alone and have no one to visit or take you out.

Whether or not you can afford the time to work pro bono during your busy office hours, you may wish to consider sparing one Sunday afternoon a month as a driver volunteer, or once a year as a Contact the Elderly host or hostess.

You will greatly enjoy this enriching experience, and make new friends.

To learn more about Contact the Elderly, please visit our Web site: www.contact-the-elderly.org or for more information call us on freephone 0800 716 543.

Trevor Lyttleton, founder and chairman, Contact the Elderly