A group of female volunteers are finding connection and friendship in a bid to combat loneliness experienced by many Australians later in life.
For Mary-Anne Cahill, volunteering became part of her routine ahead of her retirement from teaching.
She applied for a volunteer role at Orange Sky, a charity that provides access to free showers and laundry services for people experiencing homelessness.
While people wait for their laundry, conversation naturally starts to flow.
"I've always been a good talker but you also have to be a good listener as a volunteer, it doesn't require expert skills but you just have to have empathy," Ms Cahill told AAP.
Something Ms Cahill didn't expect when she started was the friendships she would build with other volunteers at the service.
