Charity Overview
In May 2015, a group of ICAP London volunteers visited Community Links in Newham where they hosted a Pensioner’s Spring Fling. Community Links is an innovative East London charity, which run a wide range of community projects to tackle poverty and social exclusion in Newham. Through a network of community projects and services, the charity helps over 16,000 disadvantaged children, young people, adults and pensioners each year – helping them to build a brighter future. The charity’s vision is to create confident and inclusive communities where everyone is able to reach their full potential.
Watch the video to see how the day went…
Project Summary
ICAP staff spent a day meeting and connecting with a group of elderly people in Newham, and hosted a “Spring Fling” party for a group of 60 pensioners.
It was really humbling and made me feel good to put something back into the community.Tracey Bevan – ICAP Volunteer
Newham is one of London’s poorest boroughs, beset by high levels of poverty. To put this in context an astonishing 9,000 people are unable even to heat their homes adequately. Community Links have been working in Newham for nearly 40 years, and by unlocking the potential in more of Newham’s elderly people, the charity provides invaluable resources, innovation and confidence for the borough as a whole. As well as the annual “Spring Fling” event the charity also host a senior’s bingo club every Wednesday and provide elderly outreach services to offer advice to those in the community who are homebound.
Being able to offer my time to the pensioners was a priceless gift.Janine Bouwer – ICAP Volunteer
In the morning, ICAP volunteers set up for the party by dressing and decorating the hall, preparing food and drinks and getting the venue ready for the afternoon festivities. The pensioners were handed a raffle ticket and drink upon arrival before taking to their seats for a plentiful afternoon tea. Following their refreshments ICAP staff kick-started the fun with a raffle which consisted of so many prizes almost everyone went away with something! Then the dancing commenced, and many of the pensioners showed ICAP staff some new dance moves right up until the very end of the day.
What ICAP are doing here today is making a genuine difference to people’s lives.Geraldine Blake, Chief Executive, Community Links
Community Links Photography courtesy of www.amitandnaroop.com
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