Islington Giving

Volunteering to support isolated older people

Loneliness. Ill health.

These are two key reasons why older people in Islington, one of the poorest boroughs in London, are becoming increasingly isolated.

At a time when the gap between the rich and poor is growing, it’s difficult for older people to get help with their day-to-day needs. Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has shown that they are often left needlessly isolated and depressed in their own homes.

While there are many organisations and services locally, it can be difficult for older people to find them. When they do, they are often concerned about whether they are affordable, reliable or trustworthy.

However, relatively simple support such as cleaning, DIY, gardening, help looking after pets, or even just someone to talk to, can make a real difference to older people’s quality of life. 

This is why we are funding Islington Giving to run an innovative volunteering project which aims to tackle isolation among older people.  Our grant of £119,500 over three years is funding the “Islington Giving Time, Giving Help for Older People” scheme, which brings together three organisations that support older people: Age UK Islington, Manor Gardens Trust and Homes for Islington.  Between them, these three organisations are identifying the most vulnerable and isolated older people so that services and volunteers can be targeted to those who need them most.

Homes for Islington is the borough’s largest social landlord and holds a database of all older people living in their properties. They are well placed to identify those who are isolated, vulnerable or not accessing the services they need.

The project’s Development Manager will be based at the Manor Gardens Centre, a community healthcare hub. They act as the initial point of contact for new volunteers, including staff from Homes for Islington. They also link together local services for older people such as the centre’s befriending project and Age UK Islington’s hospital prevention scheme.

The project will be overseen by Islington Giving, a coalition of funders which hopes to raise £3 million to support the local community over the next three years. It aims to address poverty-related issues in the borough by testing new ways for people to donate time and money.

The aim is to improve life for older people in the borough, creating different ways for them to do things, meet people and feel independent. A total of 1,500 older people are expected to benefit by the end of its first year and 250 new volunteers will be recruited.

Contact details

For more details on the Islington Giving project, including information on how you can get involved, please visit their website: www.islingtongiving.org.uk