"Everyone has something interesting to share": Harry on 18 months of getting to know his older neighbours

Please note: this post is 89 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

I started volunteering with South London Cares about 18 months ago. After hearing about it at Feast, a street market in West Norwood, I organised for a small group of older neighbours to visit the nearby bookshop where I work. As I found out more about the charity, and got to know the team, I soon decided that I wanted to get involved. 

If you have irregular working hours, or aren’t able to spare much time, then South London Cares is the perfect way to start volunteering. A monthly email outlines what’s coming up and you’re free to register for as much or as little as you can manage. There have been months when I’ve done lots of volunteering and months when I haven’t had time to do anything. It’s handy to have that flexibility. 

Social clubs are at the heart of what South London Cares does – group activities, or days out, bringing young Londoners together with older people who live nearby. I’ve danced, sung, done quizzes, been to exhibitions, made clay models, watched films, laughed, eaten lots of cake, discovered new parts of the city, and made many friends of all ages.

I’ve also learnt a huge amount from my older neighbours. Many are born and bred Londoners who have seen how the city has changed over the years. Others bring stories from distant parts of the world. Everyone has something interesting to share.  

I have a particularly fond memory of a DIY social club at the Brixton Remakery, which is a workshop for the recycling of unused furniture. I was paired with 96-year-old Frances and tasked with building a container for her plant pots. If I thought that I’d be taking the lead then I was soon proved wrong as Frances sawed, sanded, nailed and even used an electric drill. 

We worked together to perfect the design and Frances seemed made up with the end result, which I’m told is now a feature on her windowsill. The encounter was a good illustration of what makes South London Cares so special – people of more than 70 years age difference spending time together as equals, having fun and trying something new. 

London can be a lonely place to live but South London Cares is a shining example of the power of community.