Community Christmas cards

Please note: this post is 73 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

Why not spread a little community cheer by sending a card (or 10!) to your neighbours this year?

This year, for the first time ever, North London Cares and our sibling charity South London Cares have our very own joint charity Christmas cards available. 

The card has been designed by volunteer Liv, who supports both North and South London Cares. She regularly pops along to social clubs to help out with face painting and is even planning a trip for her North London Cares neighbours to visit her at her workplace in Old Street in the new year. 

Her design is inspired by a recent poem written by 81-year-old neighbour, Peter. 

We first met Peter back in 2016, and at the last count he's attended 95 South London Cares social clubs. He is a regular at creative writing and choir, as well as all things arty - from watercolour workshops to print making and mosaicking.

And during that time, he's made hundreds of friendships with his younger neighbours. In fact, he got on so well at choir club with volunteer Alice that the pair asked to be matched up through our Love Your Neighbour programme. They’ve been hanging out at museums, restaurants, galleries and even the Southbank Centre archives (!) together ever since. 

Peter wrote the poem for Alice - it's about their friendship and what it means to him. He was also kind enough to share it with us too. 

You can check out Peter's fantastic poem below, (which features inside the cards) as well as a preview of Liv's card design:

                              My block of flats has windows front and back
                                 Through which the isolated old may look
                                Perhaps to glimpse scenes of life they lack

                                Along the road some houses have them too
                                 And as you pass a curtain moves to show
                               Someone’s been warmed, a little, there, by you.

We’re asking for a suggested donation of £5 for a pack of 10 beautiful cards.

All of the proceeds raised through our community Christmas cards will go towards making more fun and friendships possible for older and younger neighbours living across Camden, Islington, Southwark and Lambeth.

If you’d like to snap up a pack or two, or if you think your workplace might be interested, please email [email protected]