Annual Report

2018/19
CONTENTS

Our vision 01
Our model 02
Why we do what we do 03
2018/19 in numbers 04
Social Clubs 05
Love Your Neighbour 07
Outreach 08
Community Fundraising 10
Who we work with 11
Our impact 12
Quotes about North London Cares 13
Our finances 17
Our supporters 19
Our influence 20
Our team 21
Our trustees 22
A message from our CEO 23
A message from our Chair 24

Delivery figures in this report cover the period January 1st 2019 to December 31st 2019. Financial figures cover our
accounting year from September 1st 2018 to August 31st 2019, as submitted in our annual accounts.
OUR VISION

North London Cares is a community network of North London Cares is not fatalistic about this dual
young professionals and older neighbours hanging out challenge. Our vision is to bring older and younger
and helping one another in our rapidly changing city. people together to share time, laughter, new
experiences and friendship – so that everyone can
We do this because while our capital is amazing – full of feel part of our changing city, rather than left
cultural and economic opportunities and with history, behind by it.
influence and innovation at its heart – it can also feel
anonymous, isolating and lonely. Our target outcomes are to:

This is especially the case for older people whose Reduce loneliness and isolation amongst older
social networks may have frayed and whose and younger north Londoners alike;
communities are transforming faster than ever before
due to globalisation, gentrification, digitisation, Improve neighbours’ wellbeing, connection,
transience and housing bubbles; and for young belonging, purpose and power;
professionals facing work and social media pressures
and often living far from friends and family. Bring people together to bridge the gaps
across social, generational, digital, cultural and
Increasingly, as our city transforms, those two groups attitudinal divides.
are living in parallel worlds. That separation wastes
human potential, entrenches loneliness and isolation,
perpetuates social division, and is ultimately corrosive for
our city and our society.

01
OUR MODEL
North London Cares seeks to address our modern Third, our proactive Outreach harnesses the city’s
blight of 'disconnection in a connected age' by culture and communities to identify and invite older and
harnessing the changing people and places around us younger people who’d like to participate. We go to where
for the benefit of neighbours, communities and our city people are – in local chemists, supermarkets, libraries, GP
as a whole. We do this through four core programmes. surgeries, sheltered housing units and other locations – to
strike up conversations and invite people to our activities.
Our Social Clubs are group activities, occurring five or Our Winter Wellbeing project, for example, helps older
six times a week, which offer an anchor of shared time people stay warm, active and connected during the most
and new experiences in familiar but often changing isolating time of year.
locations including pubs, cafes, local businesses and
north London’s world-famous cultural institutions. Finally, our Community Fundraising offers a fourth way
Sessions include dances, ‘Desert Island Discs’ nights, for younger and older Londoners to share new
‘back to work’ business visits, quizzes, themed experiences. Events, challenges, corporate partnerships
parties and more. and online campaigns all offer the chance for neighbours
to share fresh camaraderie while raising money to keep
Meanwhile, our Love Your Neighbour programme everything in their network free.
brings young professionals together with their often
housebound older neighbours to build and support Through each of these integrated programmes the
special one-to-one friendships and to bring some of the relationships created are two-way: older people
outside world in for people who may struggle to get out. benefit from feeling part of their changing city and by
Friends share a couple of hours of conversation and sharing the stories and experiences that mean so much to
companionship every week and are given a £40 budget them with younger people; while young professionals
to spend on games, takeaways, films or other connect to the heritage of this global city through the
experiences to share together. friendship, connection and community of their
older neighbours.

02
WHY WE DO
WHAT WE DO
London is one of the most amazing places in the world: its This is not just personally heartbreaking; it’s also a national
businesses, culture and diversity all make this one of the public health crisis – because loneliness kills. It brings on
most exciting places to live, work and play. But as new heart attacks, strokes, depression and dementia. While
office and apartment blocks go up in front of our eyes and obesity increases our chance of premature death by up to
whole swathes of Camden and Islington are transformed 20%, and dependency on alcohol by 30%, not having
by gentrification, transience, digitisation and other factors meaningful relationships in our everyday lives increases
we can all sometimes feel left behind by the pace of our chance of early death by a sobering 45%. It is shown
change. that people who suffer heart attacks drastically increase
their chance of survival based on two key factors: not
In that context, loneliness, and broader disconnection – smoking and having good relationships that mean
from our communities as they change, from businesses, something to them.
from one another and from ourselves – is one of the
greatest challenges of our time. At a time when our communities are transforming and
showing signs of division, and our health and care services
9 million adults in the UK say they often feel lonely. are under pressure, this epidemic comes at a huge financial
Two in five people over the age of 65 say the TV is their as well as personal cost. In fact, our disconnection from one
main form of company. 17% of older people haven’t spoken another could be costing the economy £32 billion a year.
to a friend or relative in a week and 11% haven’t had On the other hand, neighbourliness – connection to one
meaningful human contact in a month. And one in ten GP another – delivers £24 billion in value to communities all
appointments is taken by an older person with no other across the country.
condition than that they’re lonely. North London Cares’ goal is to help older and younger
But loneliness is not just a later life problem. On the people alike to feel part of our changing city, to build the
contrary: studies show that young people are at least the types of relationships – forged in shared new experiences
second loneliest age group and some research shows that – that really mean something, and to help people to
they may even be the loneliest. Pressures at work, social connect to the past, present and future of our city through
media, screen weariness, and “FOMO” (fear of missing out) interactions with the people who make it great.
can leave young people arriving in London overwhelmed
and lacking meaningful connection.

03
2018/19
IN NUMBERS
North London Cares has now been running for eight Over eight and a half years older and younger people
and a half years. In that time, we have built up a network have now shared a total of 200,645 interactions
of 4,600 young people and 3,500 older neighbours who and 36,466 hours across rapidly changing Camden
have shared time, laughter and new experiences and Islington.
across the generations in so many ways. In 2018/19
our results included:

275 social clubs were hosted, attended

5,190 times by older and younger people;

204 older and younger people were part

of the Love Your Neighbour programme,
enjoying conversation and companionship
every week.
339 older people were connected
to local activities and services through our
seventh Winter Wellbeing project.

04
SOCIAL
North London Cares’ Social Clubs are group activities
bringing older and younger neighbours together to
share friendship through the type of exciting
experiences that make north London unique.

CLUBS This year they’ve included dance parties, yoga, new

tech workshops, singalongs, book clubs, pub nights,
creative writing, talent shows, ‘back to work’ business
visits and more.
LOVE YOUR
In a city moving and changing at speed,
North London Cares’ one-to-one friendship
programme helps different generations of
Londoners to find a little pause, reflection,

NEIGHBOUR
conversation and connection. Friends talk about
everything and nothing – from work,
to weddings, to days gone by. And in sharing their
stories, everyone feels a little more connected.
OUTREACH

Our proactive outreach – identifying older and younger Winter Wellbeing project, to help people stay warm,
neighbours and inviting them to be part of the North active and connected during the most isolating time
London Cares community – is one of the things that of year. Through this work in winter 2018/19, we:
makes our model unique.

Every day, we are out speaking to older people where Held 1,000 conversations with older neighbours
they are – on doorsteps, in pharmacies, in GP surgeries, about how to stay warm and connected;
in sheltered housing units, on estates, in supermarkets
and even at bus stops, from Kentish Town to Kilburn, Knocked on 498 doors to identify people most
Holloway to Holborn. We receive referrals, from partners in need of connection;
at Camden and Islington Councils and across the proud Gave out 334 blankets and items of warm
voluntary and community sector, of older Londoners who clothing, and distributed grants totalling £2,500
might enjoy sharing time with their younger neighbours. to 33 people really feeling the cold;

And we harness social, digital and employment Made 606 individual referrals or interventions
networks to inspire young people to get involved for people – from housing advice to support
– with positive online story sharing, monthly volunteer with benefits to connections to our
inductions, fundraising activities and socials. own activities.
Every year, North London Cares runs an intensive
COMMUNITY
FUNDRAISING
Community Fundraising is more than just a way to raise So we’re proud that this year £135,000 of North London
money. It’s another way for older and younger Cares’ income was raised from within the network –
neighbours to lead North London Cares, to share time through individual donations, corporate partnerships,
and friendship, and to show that when people work online campaigns, and scores of north Londoners
together they share power and a sense of belonging. taking on runs, cycles and other challenges to help fund
the network they love.
WHO WE
WORK WITH
We’re so grateful for all the wonderful local partners Abbey Community Association, Ageing Better in
who help make North London Cares’ vision and Camden, Age UK Camden, Age UK Islington,
activities a reality – organisations from business, Camden Collective, Camden Council,
government and the local voluntary sector who have let Castlehaven Community Association, Fitzrovia
us use their space, invited older and younger Youth in Action, Hilldrop Community
neighbours to join the network, and offered a home for Association, Holloway Neighbourhood Group,
North London Cares to put down roots. They include: Islington Council, Kentish Town Community
Association, London Symphony Orchestra,
Marchmont Community Association,
The Peel Institute and others.
OUR
IMPACT
In 2018/19, a third major impact evaluation showed how A majority report having more people around that they
North London Cares: can rely on;

Reduces loneliness and isolation amongst older and A majority report feeling closer to the community;
younger people alike; A majority report 'missing other people less';
Improves understanding across generational lines;
Crucially, the young people who are part of the
Helps older and younger people feel an increased network benefit too:
sense of belonging;
Helps people feel an increased connection to self; 98% say they have a greater connection to the
community;
The impact report also demonstrated that our model 98% say they've been able to contribute in a way
has the strongest results for neighbours who participate they otherwise would not;
the most intensely.
97% say that they are more able to appreciate
The new evaluation underscored the results from older people.
two previous studies of our work which showed that,
of older neighbours involved: Our model is shown to work because it is designed to
appeal to the people most at risk of loneliness – not just
73% say their isolation is reduced; older and younger people generally, but specifically
81% say they feel better connected to other people; people who live alone (67% of older neighbours in our
studies live alone); the ‘oldest old’ (52% of older
77% say their relationships with young people neighbours are over 80); people in social housing
have improved; (59% of older neighbours are social tenants);
86% say they are better able to appreciate the world; and transient young professionals (60% of the
young people involved live in private rented
A majority report feeling improved wellbeing, in accommodation, nearly 40% in ‘flat shares’; 53% work
particular in their levels of happiness; full time in the private sector).
QUOTES ABOUT
NORTH LONDON CARES

The art of conversation is not a thing from the past. It’s

a thing to be used. That’s one thing I like about coming
here: you can be open, you can talk to anyone.

What other organisation gives an

older person like me the chance to
converse and interact with people
much younger than me?

I’ve met so many people – it's like a family gathering

where everybody respects each other.

North London Cares really changed my

opinion of younger people. Honestly,
I didn’t think younger people would
really want to be involved with us,
and you know, talk to us.

13
 From that moment, right through
until now the friendship has grown
and grown and grown.
It’s so beautiful.

We were like two kids first time we met.

She’s a lovely outgoing girl and she
would do anything for me.

I think it’s wonderful. It completely

changed my view of youngsters.

We laugh a lot. It’s nice hearing younger

people’s views compared with an older person.
As I say, 99% I’m talking to people more or less my age.
Talking to somebody younger feels wonderful.

Definitely mentally and emotionally

I feel better that there are humans
out there thinking about me.

14
 Sometimes I look round the room and am
astounded by all the smiling faces,
laughter and conversation. I don't know any
other organisation that brings so many
people from so many walks of life together.

I think the social clubs are really special

They provide an opportunity to bond with members
of your community who you would never normally
meet. I love hearing about other people’s stories,
particularly as they are so different to my own.

I love it as it puts life into perspective.

My job means that I am very busy and
things at work seem stressful but going
to social clubs gives me a reason
to take my mind of it and talk to people
I wouldn't normally talk to.

I think people forget but that’s the problem with

society, that sometimes people see older people as
just older people – forgetting that they’ve had amazing
lives, they’ve done amazing things and still do.

I struggle to switch off in the big city but the

social clubs have allowed me to unwind and
find friendships with strangers
which is invaluable.
It has had a totally positive effect on
my life, it is one of the best things I have
done since moving to London over
three and a half years ago.
15
 I think loneliness is a huge problem in London, for
the elderly and also for young people. I’ve lived in
the city for four years now and still feel that it’s
incredibly hard to meet people. I don’t really class
myself as a volunteer at North London Cares
because the older neighbours help me as much
as I help them.

Too often in this digital, individual world people remain

ignored. It’s lovely to engage with my neighbours,
swap memories and learn new things. For the first time
in a long time I felt a sense of value and belonging.

I love it. I feel part of a community. I have

people I see regularly, and I know will be
there, who know who I am.

It makes me feel less alone, and more

engaged, it is also nice not to be stuck
on social media for an evening.

16
OUR
FINANCES
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

18/19 17/18 16/17 15/16 14/15

£ £ £ £ £
Incoming resources 481,155 437,844 369,012 334,525 190,485
Grants 69% 51% 43% 52% 62%
Donations 28% 40% 50% 31% 19%
Commissions 2% 2% 3% 12% 15%
Restricted income 72% 54% 49% 80% 77%
Unrestricted income 28% 46% 51% 20% 23%

Resources expended 480,614 425,797 337,173 306,274 179,606

Charitable expenditure 78% 69% 76% 86% 93%
Management & fundraising 22% 31% 24% 14% 8%

Net resources 541 12,047 31,839 28,251 10,879

BALANCE SHEET

Fixed assets
Tangible assets 4,078 4,663 5,096 1,376 1,321

Current assets
Debtors 7,962 4,320 5,321 1,300 -
Cash at hand 146,448 163,195 130,979 122,955 80,191
Total 154,410 167,515 136,300 124,255 80,191

Creditors (10,194) (24,425) (5,690) (21,764) (5,896)

Net current assets 144,216 143,090 130,610 102,491 75,616

Total funds 148,294 147,753 135,706 103,867 75,616

17
DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURE

18/19 17/18 16/17 15/16 14/15

£ £ £ £ £
Staff costs 318,740 291,840 217,343 181,050 111,586
Other staff costs 36 1,434 8,338 - -
Costs of raising funds 12,120 19,137 24,212 13,473 3,066
Costs of charitable activities 28,987 18,565 20,849 61,553 38,501
Rent and office running costs 33,888 24,403 19,507 10,920 7,657
Insurance 1,847 1,800 1,749 1,156 1,053
Advertising and marketing 2,371 1,888 2,009 1,086 3,406
Printing, postage, stationery 773 1,137 9,226 6,640 -
Staff development 3,831 4,893 4,664 3,273 -
Travel and subsistence 18,287 14,256 18,830 10,077 -
Website 673 - 2,156 684 4,884
Evaluation and consultancy 36,037 26,033 - 7,195 6,620
Accountancy costs 4,650 4,443 2,274 2,550 1,330
Independent examination costs 900 900 900 750 700
Subscriptions 948 1,237 1,376 1,972 -
Telephone and internet 5,095 3,967 2,130 2,388 -
Management recharge 9,280 - - - -
Depreciation 2,151 1,637 1,610 1,028 803

Total expenditure 480,614 425,797 337,173 306,274 179,606

All figures are taken from North London Cares’ annual

accounts 2018/19, submitted to Companies House and
the Charity Commission.

18
OUR
SUPPORTERS

19
OUR
INFLUENCE

North London Cares plays a significant role in the wider In 2018 our Founder and CEO, Alex Smith, was also
development of policy, awareness and good practice appointed to as one of the inaugural 20 Obama Fellows,
on the issues of loneliness, generational division and selected from 21,000 applicants in 191 countries around
disconnection. the world, recognising the importance of our work on
loneliness and isolation as gateways into
In 2018 we worked closely with government on the other societal issues.
development of the world’s first ever national loneliness
strategy which was launched with a visit from the We’ve also supported many other organisations to
former Prime Minister to a joint North London Cares and deepen their own impact. Excitingly, we've supported a
South London Cares social club. former North London Cares volunteer to build a similar
organisation, B:Friend, reducing loneliness in his
We have given evidence to three All Party hometown of Doncaster which is now expanding
Parliamentary Groups – on loneliness, social integration across South Yorkshire.
and intergenerational fairness, as well as to the
International Longevity Centre and The King’s Fund.
Our work also regularly appears in the national and
international media.

20
OUR TEAM
EMILY GROVES VICTORIA BUCKLE
HEAD OF PROGRAMMES (MATERNITY COVER) DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Emily is Head of Programmes (Maternity Cover), Victoria supports our individual donors, coordinates
overseeing all North London Cares’ programmes and fundraising events and cheers on North London Cares'
partnerships and managing the team. challenge fundraisers. She previously worked at
Citizens Advice.
LAURA DE SOUZA
HEAD OF PROGRAMMES (ON MATERNITY LEAVE) IMOGEN DUFFIN
Laura has been Head of Programmes at North London DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Cares for six years. She previously worked at a nursing Imogen helps our fabulous supporters to fundraise for
home for disabled servicemen, and before that North London Cares through events, challenges and
in TV production. other activities.

ANDY NAYLOR
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR (SOCIAL CLUBS) North London Cares is supported by colleagues from
The Cares Family, who also work across our sibling charities
Andy designs and delivers exciting Social Clubs across
in south London, east London, Manchester and Liverpool.
Camden and Islington. Andy previously worked as the
participation coordinator for Age UK Islington. Charlie Jamieson is Director of Programmes.
Emily Quilter is Director of Development (on Maternity Leave).
HARRY JENKINS Ellenor Baron is Director of Development (Maternity Cover).
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
(LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR) Catrin Thomas is Head of Development.
Jane East is Managing Director.
Harry looks after Love Your Neighbour in Islington,
facilitating one-to-one friendships between younger Alex Smith is Founder and Chief Executive.
and older neighbours. He previously worked on student
action projects.

BOUCHRA AITLKABOUD
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
(LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR)

Bouchra looks after Love Your Neighbour in Camden,

facilitating one-to-one friendships between younger
and older neighbours. She previously worked in the
travel industry.

ROXANNE RUSTEM
PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
(OUTREACH AND VOLUNTEERS)

Roxanne manages our growing volunteer network and

leads on reaching older north Londoners. She has been
with North London Cares for three years.

21
OUR
TRUSTEES
BEN WILSON DAVID HAYMAN
INTERIM CHAIR TRUSTEE
Ben works in the Office of the Chairman at Liberty David is Campaign Director at Make My Money Matter,
House Group. His financial career has focussed on helping people to make more environmentally sustainable
banking and industry, including for Nomura investments. He was formerly is Special Adviser to the
International, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Noble Executive Director at the ONE Campaign, worked on
Group. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of strategy for education charity Ark, at Educate Girls and at
Management Accountants and holds an MBA. The Prince’s Trust.

DAVID EASTON JAMES LEE

SECRETARY TRUSTEE
David is a Growth Equity Investor at Generation James has had a long career in local government,
Investment Management. He was formerly at CDC where his responsibilities include safeguarding,
Group and Bridges Ventures and before that worked monitoring and evaluation. He has been part of The
for the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative and Cares Family since 2013.
McKinsey & Company.

VIX ANDERTON
TRUSTEE
Vix works to improve the lives of women and girls. She
is passionate about mental health and wellbeing,
diversity and inclusion. A former Royal Air Force Officer,
she spent three years working in the international
development sector on projects all over the world
before moving into a portfolio career.

POLLY BALSOM
TRUSTEE
Polly is Head of Communications and Marketing at
Royal Trinity Hospice where she leads on messaging
and campaign delivery. She previously worked at
Missing People where she was responsible for
communications and partnership campaigns, and has
helped to establish HIV support charity Body & Soul’s
social enterprise 'Brave'.

22
A MESSAGE
FROM OUR
CEO
It’s been another inspiring year at North London Cares. It’s reducing our empathy and leading to disconnection
We’ve mobilised more younger and older people to at the national and even international levels.
share time and new experiences through more social
clubs and Love Your Neighbour friendships than ever. But while the problem is macro, the solution is local.
We’ve developed new partnerships with local Our experience – and the evidence – shows how
businesses, government and health organisations. And people sharing time with neighbours from another
we’ve set in train exciting plans for 2020 and beyond. generation in a place of meaning reduces loneliness,
deepens connection, and helps older and younger
That matters, because loneliness is increasingly people alike to feel ‘part of something bigger than
recognised as one of the major challenges of our time. themselves’. At times of challenge and change, that is vital.
When we first started North London Cares in 2011,
loneliness was identified predominantly as an As part of The Cares Family of charities, North London
occasional and inevitable personal emotion – no Cares has now inspired a movement of thousands and
different from longing or homesickness. Then it was thousands of older and younger people to get together
acknowledged as a public health crisis. More recently, and to build connections across the ages – connecting
however, the pervasive issue of loneliness has been the past to the present to the future. As we look to that
recognised as a political crisis too. future, we’re excited about the aggregate power of
even more friendships, as well as the individual impact
That’s because, while we prioritise what’s efficient over those relationships have.
what’s important in our society, we are spending less
and less time with our neighbours and wider We’d like to thank all our supporters, partners, donors
community than ever. Indeed, while 72% of adults in and of course the younger and older neighbours who
the UK believe that knowing your neighbours is make this community what it is. We can’t wait to share
important, 73% do not know their neighbours more time, laughter and new experiences with you in
themselves. That passivity – not knowing people who 2020 and beyond.
are not ‘like us’ – is creating divisions in society.

ALEX SMITH
FOUNDER/CEO
NORTH LONDON CARES AND THE CARES FAMILY

23
A MESSAGE
FROM OUR
CHAIR
The more things change, the more they stay the same. As we’ve grown into a national group of charities,
This year at North London Cares and in the wider Cares however, we’ve also been careful to ensure that North
Family we’ve spent a lot of time growing, developing London Cares remains rooted – representing our
and transitioning into an established charity, with impact unique home boroughs of Camden and Islington and
at the local level and influence at the national and the people and places that make this area so special.
international levels. We’ve hired new colleagues. We’ve We’re grateful to all the local partners – from councils to
developed a new strategy that will help us to continue to corporations – who have supported us in so many ways.
progress in the years to come. And we’ve added East
London Cares to the growing group of siblings. Finally, I want to place on record, on behalf of the whole
Board, our thanks to Josie Cluer, who departed as Chair
As we look to 2020, we’re excited about what’s to of North London Cares and The Cares Family last year.
come. Specifically, The Cares Family is piloting Josie joined the board of a small community project in
ambitious new projects. The first – our new ‘3G Social 2012 and in seven years has created a remarkable legacy.
Clubs’ bringing older people together with new parents
and their young children – will take place right here in My job in the coming year is to build on that strong
north London, just across the border in Haringey and platform to help North London Cares to bring even more
Waltham Forest. Our second new project older and younger neighbours together, to continue to
– ‘The Multiplier’ – will help us to share our learning innovate, and to make sure we are living up to our
about building communities to reduce loneliness and founding mission: ‘connecting people, building
broader disconnection with people leading projects in communities.’
their own communities in their own ways.

BEN WILSON
INTERIM CHAIR
NORTH LONDON CARES AND THE CARES FAMILY

24
 northlondoncares.org.uk

North London Cares is the public name for NL Cares Ltd, company number 07737818, charity number 1153137.
Registered at North London Cares, C/O Collective, 5-7 Buck Street, London NW1 8NJ