Larry Asda Basildon

Asda has pledged almost £1m to help combat loneliness and isolation in the older generation this festive period through its “Don’t be Gnome Alone this Christmas” campaign.

It comes with the supermarket bringing back its Asda’s Winter Warmer initiative, which will run across all Asda cafés until the end of 2024, with three soup flavours for over 60s to choose from for £1 and unlimited tea or coffee.

Asda said it wanted to transform their in-store facilities into ‘Chatty Cafés’ – where senior citizens could come together, eat and drink, and make new friends.

Gavin & Stacey star Larry Lamb visited the Asda superstore at Heron Retail Park in Basildon to launch the new concept earlier his week.

Asda’s new Christmas community report said loneliness was such a huge issue for elderly people, with one in 10 not sure they would speak to anyone between 15 December and 1 January.

“Our mission this Christmas is to provide everything customers need at our famously low Asda prices. Christmas is a time to enjoy time with loved ones and the fact one in 10 of our older generation is facing Christmas alone is genuinely sobering,” said Asda chief customer officer David Hills.

“That’s why, alongside The Asda Foundation, we’re proud to invest almost £1m through our in-store initiatives and grants to do what we can to tackle loneliness and isolation in the communities we serve.

“Our teams do incredible work to support communities all year round, and I’m so proud to be able to launch the Chatty Cafés initiative today, alongside our renowned Winter Warmers deal, which we know is a lifeline to many. We’re pledging to bring people together this festive season and encouraging people across the nation to check in with the elderly in their communities this Christmas.”