Legacy
Legacy
Please note: this post is 33 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
To celebrate two years of Love Your Neighbour at East London Cares and with new and existing matches starting to meet more in person, let’s take a look at how our one-to-one friendship programme works and the friendships that have been made so far.
Love Your Neighbour is our one-to-one friendship matching programme which brings younger and older people together to share company, conversation, laughter, and joy together in-person, over the phone or a mix of both. We aim to create unique, genuine, long-lasting friendships across the ages. Matches tend to hang out once a week in person or catch up over the phone.
Some matches head out to explore their local area, like Maggie (90) and Lewis (32) who were our first ever match and have been friends for two years now. Here they are pictured out in Broadway Market enjoying a cheeky Aperol Spritz!
‘He’s a good friend, I admire what he’s done with his life, we get on very well and talk about everything and nothing, age doesn’t come into it.’ – Maggie.
Other neighbours come along to our Social Clubs together, like Julie (71) and Laura (51) who after speaking on the phone for 11 months during the pandemic met in person at our 2nd birthday party back in October. They were the life and soul of the party, getting everyone up dancing and doing the Electric Slide! They’ve since celebrated a year of friendship and enjoyed a trip to the cinema together to watch King Richard. Laura told us, “It was great spending quality time with Julie, I feel like I’ve known her for years.”
“Love Your Neighbour is a very good scheme, I would recommend people to join, I mention it to other people and tell my friends I have a fun pal!’ – Julie, 70.
Other Love Your Neighbour friends stay in enjoying a brew and natter, just like Teresa (76) and Charlie (25), who were matched in December. They’ve chatted about all sorts since they were introduced! From families, to pet pigeons and the complete low down on Coronation Street from Teresa.
Lastly, some pals just prefer to chat on the phone, like Martina (78) and Nelly (40), who were matched in December and have been catching up on the phone weekly. They’ve already managed to discuss a range of topics on their calls, such as, kids, mental health, food, dating and exercise! Martina recently told us; “Nelly has a good sense of humour, we make each other happy, we don't look on the darker side, we look on the bright side.”
Whether matches are out exploring markets, catching up over a cuppa whilst watching EastEnders or nattering on the phone, it’s so exciting to see each friendship blossom and develop over time. We can’t wait to celebrate even more wonderful new matches, like Liam and Victoria, Jeewaun and Eyup, and Ahmed and Ania to name a few! As well as welcome new older and younger neighbours onto the Love Your Neighbour programme.
If our matches have inspired you to volunteer, or if you, or someone you know is over 65 living in Hackney or Tower Hamlets and would like to get involved, follow the links below to find out more. We currently have younger neighbours ready and waiting to meet a new older friend in Bow, Poplar, Mile End and Whitechapel.