Party with your older neighbours

Please note: this post is 120 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

It’s no wonder 8 million people choose to live in our fine Capital. Every day London feels like the biggest and best party, with guests travelling from around the globe, a buffet of food from every nation, more booze than you could ever imagine and themed activities on offer every second of every day. No one throws a shindig like London, but if you don't feel invited to the party, it can also be an incredibly isolating place to live.

Too often, our older neighbours feel uninvited and lonely. Many have faced huge changes in their lives having lost their loved ones and retired from their jobs. There isn’t the same opportunity to socialise and the activities on offer for over 60s don’t appeal because few see themselves as ‘old’. Living in London on a pension is also a huge adjustment.

On top of all these changes and more, the community, which many of our older neighbours were raised in, has rapidly altered and is now unrecognisable. Family have moved, friends have passed, businesses have closed and different ages, nationalities and classes have moved next door.

And it's not just older neighbours who feel isolated. Most of us have come to the city from somewhere else in the country, or left family the other side of the globe. We have no roots, no sense of history or familiarity and no elders to visit, who will listen, guide and remind us that we're not the first to tread the path.

NLC Social Clubs are a chance to bridge this divide.

Older neighbours come with a wealth of knowledge, skill and experience. They also provide a sense of community for young Londoners.

Our volunteers not only bring energy & enthusiasm to our events, but they provide hand delivered invites to the party we call London. For instance, when Ping Pong became the latest craze, our volunteers and older neighbours took part in a table tennis tournament – and 87 year old May showed everyone how it was done!

We’ve dressed up as nuns for a sing-a-long, learnt origami whilst sampling sushi, donned our hats for a Grand National Party and soaked up the sun on Camden Beach.

And for 2015 we’ve so much more in store so sign up to join in the fun.

If you’d like to attend a social or you’re interested in hosting your own event on behalf on NLC, please call Laura on 07884 581 671 or email [email protected]. We hope to see you soon