Award-winning journalist and presenter Esther Rantzen will be the guest of honour at an event aimed at preventing loneliness in the elderly this week.
The former That's Life! presenter, who set up the charity The Silver Line for lonely elderly people after being bereaved and feeling alone, will come to Sutton for International Older People's Day on Friday.
Ms Rantzen will attend an event at Sutton Central Library that will feature speeches from people including Sutton and Cheam MP Paul Burstow and Sutton Council's older people's champion Myfanwy Wallace.
It will also feature singing, a drumming demonstration and a range of stalls.
Ms Rantzen said: ""I am delighted to have been invited to this important event. Loneliness is a hidden problem among elderly people and I hope through days such as these we can discuss it and revitalise the lives of those it affects.
"I am looking forward to a very enjoyable day in Sutton and having the opportunity to meet people from the borough who are taking an active interest in making lives better."
Coun Wallace added: "It’s going to be a really entertaining day with plenty of things to enjoy and take part in and I urge everyone to come along.
"I am also especially eager to make people think more about loneliness and how we can prevent it.
There are still too many people who spend too much time on their own and we need to do something about that."
The event takes place at the library's Europa Gallery in St Nicholas Way and begins at 10am and closes at 1.30pm.
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