Help your neighbours stay warm, active and connected this winter

Please note: this post is 137 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

Brrr, it's freezing outside. It's that time of year when we all want to put our favourite scarf on, wrap up, chow down on soup, and generally hibernate with a boxset.

For older people, the bitter days, dark evenings, and the prospect of snow and ice make this period - the time between Christmas and the springing of spring - the most isolating time of year.

High food and fuel bills, health challenges, rapidly changing circumstances, bereavements and the general January blues can hugely increase immobility, loneliness and anxiety - perpetuating social isolation amongst an already vulnerable group.

That's why South London Cares is running a special winter project to help our older neighbours stay warm, healthy, active and connected this winter.

We're working with our friends at Southwark and Lambeth Councils, Age UK, King's College Hospital and other partners to bring people out from the cold, to connect them with their neighbours, and to get them the help and advice they need at this difficult time.

The campaign is based on our sister charity, North London Cares', four years'experience of connecting people and supporting communities during winter. And below the river, at South London Cares, we've already made progress by:

• Speaking to over 300 older neighbours about how we can support them;
• Distributing blankets, coats and socks to neighbours;
• Navigating Council services and helping people find the support they need;
• Supporting neighbours whose circumstances are particularly difficult and unpredictable with small grants;
• Hosting interactive Social Clubs;
• Connecting people to build new relationships one-to-one.

We're trying to speak to people on their own terms, where they are. So we're visiting community centres, surgeries, estates and sheltered housing units. We're knocking on doors, visiting libraries, GPs and pharmacies, and we're hosting stalls ar supermarkets, so that people know the importance of staying warm and well - but also active - this winter.

And we'd like you to be involved!

We're looking for volunteers who can give just a little time to help us with door knocking, delivering balnkets, odd jobs like changing curtains for neighbours, and with the admin of reaching out to hundreds of people and helping them get what they need.

And we always need outgoing volunteers to join our Love Your Neighbour and Social Club projects - so please get involved.