The generations come together, over tea, cakes and conversation, every time the Irvine family hold a party on behalf of Contact the Elderly (CtE).
And their example at their north-east home in Meikle Wartle, outside Inverurie, gives a heartwarming illustration of how loneliness can be tackled and age barriers broken down with such a can-do attitude.
Gail Irvine, 37, an oil and gas engineer, and her husband, Bobby, 40, an offshore driller, are among those who have backed the Press and Journal’s new campaign to tackle isolation among senior citizens.
But they aren’t the only family members at their tea parties, because their sons, William, who is just one, and Robert, three, also bring a sparkle to their guests.
Mrs Irvine explained yesterday why she had chosen to join forces with CtE, despite having both a busy family and professional life.
She said: “We decided to volunteer, because I wanted to give something back to the community, and encourage our children to show acts of kindness to other people.
“I felt that Contact the Elderly was a perfect charity, because the whole family can get involved from the comfort of our own home.
“We also wanted to make friends with older people, because they have a unique perspective on life and have experienced far more than us and they have shared their wisdom with me and my family.
“We always have a great time hearing their stories, we have such a laugh together, and I love listening to stories from their childhoods and how life was for them when they were growing up.
“My guests have followed our family throughout my pregnancies, they have seen Robert change from a baby to a little boy, and now the same is happening with William.
“Both kids thoroughly enjoy being the centre of attention at our tea parties and Robert enjoyed telling everyone about his favourite tractor toy at the last event.
“The age range of our parties is from babies to guests in their 90s, so there is a real spread across the generations.”
Mrs Irvine has been thrilled at how these functions bring mutual benefits to the participants. And she had a simple message to anybody else considering following her lead.
She added: “I would urge P&J readers to consider hosting tea parties because it is a great opportunity to meet really interesting people.
“At our last party, there was a new elderly guest and, as he was leaving, he told us he found Sundays a very lonely day, but he had really enjoyed himself at our home.
“The gentleman’s smile and happy face really demonstrated how much these tea parties mean to people and that is a terrific thing.”