Duchess of Cambridge more popular than the Queen as tea party guest

March 1, 2013 - PRLog -- The independent survey into the UK’s tea-drinking habits found the Duchess of Cambridge was more popular as a tea-drinking companion than Britain’s monarch, but perhaps more surprisingly, smooth talking former James Bond actor Sean Connery topped the poll as the celebrity most people would want to share a cuppa with.

The survey comes as the nation prepares to enjoy plenty of hot drinks during Dementia UK’s Time for a Cuppa week, from 1st – 8th March.

The week, held to raise funds for Dementia UK, will see Care UK’s 105 care homes and 13 day centres inviting visitors to join them for a brew to raise funds for the charity.

Activities such as cake sales, competitions and raffles will all be held at homes around the country. There will also be the opportunity to meet some of Care UK’s expert care teams and find out more about caring for a loved one living with dementia.

Perhaps comfortingly, the survey carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Care UK, a leading provider of health and social care services, found that Britain is still a nation of tea drinkers, with 49% of adults choosing it as their favourite hot drink and 79% saying they like to dunk a biscuit in their cuppa – whilst nearly 5% of adults even admitted dunking a banana.

Over a good old fashioned cuppa is also the nation’s favourite way to share family news and reminisce about happy times, with 74% of people saying they would prefer to hear news over a cuppa than by email or Facebook.

As well as the Queen, the Duchess of Cambridge and Sean Connery, big names such as Sir Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor and Alfred Hitchcock were all popular choices to share a cuppa with. But no celebrity scored as highly with the over 55s than their children when it comes to their cuppa companion of choice – with 51% saying they would choose their children from within their own circle of family and friends.

And it seems the feeling is mutual amongst the younger generation too, with the majority of 18-44 year olds choosing to have a cuppa with their parents over meeting up with friends.

Sharing family news is the most popular way people spend their tea breaks together, with nearly 75% choosing it as their conversation of choice, followed by 42% saying they liked to talk about happy memories.

The traditional cuppa also plays a more serious role in people’s lives, with just under 60% of people saying they had shared a major piece of news with a friend or relative over a cuppa.

Maizie Mears-Owen, Care UK’s head of dementia care, said: “The survey results show the importance of spending time with loved ones over something as simple as a cuppa.

“Spending time with a loved one who has dementia doesn’t have to mean doing anything elaborate, simply taking time to talk, share memories and be together is a great tonic in itself and we are always keen to find ways to ensure families can spend quality time together.

“We will be encouraging family members and friends to come into our homes, visit a loved one and take time for a cuppa throughout the coming week – and now we know what keen dunkers the British are too, there’ll be plenty of biscuits on offer as well.”

Dementia UK is a national charity that works to improve the quality of life for all people affected by dementia, from those living with the condition to the family who support them. The charity provides specialist support through its Admiral Nurses who help provide practical advice and information to family carers of all ages and backgrounds.

To find out what a Care UK home near you is doing to mark Time for a Cuppa week, visit www.careuk.com