Community, friendship, belonging

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Bringing people together in an ever changing city to share stories and memories is at the heart of all North London Cares’ activities. We spoke to two of our older neighbours, Anna and Maisie, about community, friendship and belonging and learned how they’ve both found their place in Camden and Islington.

Anna has recently moved to London from Bradford with her husband Jan. Moving down from Yorkshire and leaving her friends and home was a big change. She talks openly about her worries of being in her 60s and making new friends in a new city – and how since coming along to North London Cares’ activities our community of older and younger neighbours have become like a family to her.

Back in Yorkshire, Anna would be socialising with her friends, spending time in her garden or driving out to the nearby Yorkshire Dales. However, the move to London has been a big change for her: “I feel a lot more claustrophobic here.”

But Anna said she finds “the opportunity to go to places very refreshing and helpful, and because I’m new to the area I don’t really know much about what there is, it is so much nicer going around with a group of people and with young people keeping you company. For me it’s been a bit of a lifeline. I think I would have felt quite lonely.” 

For Anna, one of the most fulfilling aspects of North London Cares' social clubs programme is the sense of community she’s gained. Anna has made a whole network of friends and feels rooted to the local area alongside new friends – including Maisie. Always smiling, always willing to get involved and learn new things, Maisie has lived in Islington for over 80 years and came along to her first North London Cares social club two years ago.

Maisie says she has gained a lot of confidence by coming to social clubs. After retiring she admits she felt a little lost, not knowing what she was going to do with herself. She used to walk rather than get the bus, feeling too shy: “but nowadays I have confidence. Life gives you that. And by coming to the clubs you get more.” Now Maisie comes along to nearly all North London Cares clubs, and looks out for different things in the community: “It’s never too late to learn, and it’s all about confidence.”

What is important to Maisie is the network of younger and older neighbours she’s gained through North London Cares. “I’ve met so many new people, young and old”, she says. She really enjoys hanging out with people and exploring new areas – “I think to myself that going out and talking to people is interesting because everyone has a story.”

Maisie hints at the changes in her community. She used to know her local market stallholders and shop owners in her area – but with many of those disappearing, she says North London Cares social clubs are now a big part of her routine. For her new friend Anna, changes in her community are much bigger; at a time of life when many older people find comfort in their roots, Anna's moved and started a new adventure. 

For both Anna and Maisie the North London Cares community has extended beyond the social clubs. The pair often now bump into one another and other friends in new places and old. Indeed, Anna told us:

“I went to Angel which is not my usual shopping area, and I was waving to a couple of people on the street that I’d met through North London Cares, and it made me feel great, and I felt like wow, yeah, you belong here!” .

* Blog adapted from two original case studies submitted to Islington Givingin support of the Saturday Socials programme.