Legacy
Legacy
Please note: this post is 138 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
The South London Cares team is feeling nostalgic for the present today. Almost exactly 6 months ago SLC was just about to get started, putting planning into action. We're so proud of what all our volunteers have achieved already..!
It's that time of year when we think back over the past 12 months and reflect our highlights, challenges and maybe our aims for the next 12 to follow.
Our new and growing network of young south Londoners have done more than just volunteering: they've built new friendships with their older neighbours and become more involved in their community. They've hosted 60 social clubs with their older neighbours in Southwark and Lambeth - providing fun new social opportunities and experiences which help to make their older neighbours feel more connected and valued. They've spent over 550 hours of their valuable time creating over 2,000 new interactions with over 160 older neighbours across south London.
But this is much more than just number crunching. The difference they've made so far, in just 4 months, is measured by the warm welcomes and ta-ras, cups of tea carefully made, laughs shared, doors opened, conversations started and heartwarming comments made by older neighbours. These are just snippets of what we've been told:
“It’s so nice that young people are interested in spending time with us. We have a lot to learn from each other.”
“Meeting you all is giving me a new lease of life. The weekends are a lonesome time for me. I go up and down. When I’m with you all, I go up.”
“It brightened up my day when you came to visit me. Thank you."
We're so grateful that this is the story we can now begin to tell. All our work and that of our volunteers is about reducing isolation and loneliness, and improving the wellbeing and confidence, of older people living in our communities through mobilising young people to spend time with their neighbours. Thank you to every single one of our volunteers for your time, commitment and enthusiasm to make all of this possible. You're brilliant.
We can't wait to begin the new year banishing the January blues with new social clubs, one-to-one meet ups through Love Your Neighbourand new exciting volunteer opportunities near you.
If you'd like to give a little time, companionship or practical help and become part of our volunteer network, whether you've signed up already or not, why not drop us a line or sign up? You can be part of the story we're beginning to tell, along with your friends and neighbours, old and new. We'd love to hear from you, and to help you find simple and fun ways to help out your older neighbours.
See you in 2015!