Quality time is better shared

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North London Cares' Love Your Neighbour project matches young professionals and older neighbours one-to-one to share time, company, laughter and new experiences. In his latest blog, our Projects Officer Roger Duffy tells the story of Izzi and Violet, and the friendship they've built together.

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“Whenever it rains, I tell Izzi not to bother coming because I don’t want her to get wet. But she always says “But I want to come!” and she does. That really means a lot. She’s so lovely.”

Winter can be an isolating time for many of us. Short days and miserable weather can sap our energy and make going out seem uninviting, particularly for our older neighbours. The natural reaction is to curl up in the warm and pop the telly on, but doing so alone can get boring, especially if it’s your only option.

The best way to combat the winter blues is spending time with friends, and that’s exactly what Violet and Izzi have been doing since they were introduced through North London Cares’ Love Your Neighbour project last year.

Izzi says:

“Spending time with Violet has made my evenings much more meaningful. She is wise and has a new story to tell each time I visit – my weeks just wouldn't be the same without our regular catch ups over tea and nibbles on the sofa.”

When the weather perks up Violet and Izzi venture out shopping or to share some fish and chips at Whitecross Street market. And when the weather gets worse they hunker down in front of Strictly Come Dancing – usually joined by Izzi’s dog, a Chihuahua called Oscar, who’s happy with either option!

North London Cares’ Love Your Neighbour programme matches younger and older north Londoners for friendship and company, and every pairing has their own idea of how to enjoy their time together. But one thing they all agree on is that quality time is better when shared.