Early autumn always brings into sharp focus the issues affecting older people, not just with colder weather and shorter daylight hours on the horizon, but it’s the time of year when International Day of Older People and Silver Sunday take place. These are important days in the Re-engage calendar as they enable us to amplify the voices of the people our services support and to celebrate ageing. This year, we’re delighted to join our friends at the Centre for Ageing Better and Age UK in proudly showing the vital roles older people play in their communities, and challenging some of the more common myths around ageing through two short films featuring some of our tea party guests and volunteers.
This week, I signed a joint letter to David Lammy MP, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. The letter's purpose is to call on the new UK Government to champion the creation of a new human rights convention for older people, to strengthen the protection of their rights globally.
Later in October, we will be marking World Mental Health Day by encouraging more volunteers to apply to lead our activity groups, which help support the mental and physical wellbeing of older people through exercise and companionship.
Everyone at Re-engage would like to warmly congratulate our founder, Trevor Lyttleton, who has been recognised as a National Lottery Game Changer for his work reducing loneliness in later life. Trevor created the charity in 1965, when it was known as ‘Contact’ - and the rest, as they say, is history! Read more about his achievements in this month's e-news.
Best wishes,
Jenny Willott
CEO
When organisations choose to fundraise for us, it means the world. Recently, our friends at Dalmore Capital, Novuna, and Alfa Travel have wheeled and walked miles and miles to support our work reducing loneliness for older people.
One of the ways we’re working towards our mission as a charity is through research – it's important we can highlight the causes of loneliness and isolation in older age, understand successful interventions, and ensure that older people are fully part of projects addressing the challenges they face. Read about the work we’re doing and learn more about getting involved in our new research hub.
Sign up to the Re-engage Lottery for just £1 a week and you could win up to £25,000! Every time you play, you’ll also help a lonely or isolated older person make new connections and find companionship again.
Whether you’re a volunteer, fundraiser, donor, or you spread the word about our work, you’re helping us reduce loneliness in later life for older people across the UK. Thank you very much for your support.
