Link Age Southwark is a small local charity working in the London Borough of Southwark to reduce loneliness and isolation amongst older people and people living with dementia.

We recruit, train and manage volunteers to deliver our services which are free to everyone aged over 60 and people with dementia and their carers who live in Southwark. Please find below a summary of our current service provision: 

Befriending

A friendly chat over a cup of tea can make a huge difference to an older person feeling lonely. We match older people to volunteers and set up weekly visits at a time convenient for both parties in the older person's own home. Some of our befriending matches like to go for short walks together, to local coffee shops or play games together. For further information,please see the Befriending section of our website for further details. 

Group Activities

We run a selection of exercise and activity groups across the borough with the help of our professional tutors and friendly volunteers. From gentle exercise to dominoes, singing to seated dance, we have a group to suit everyone's interests. Our groups are a great opportunity to meet new people. For further information, please see the Group Activities section of our website.  

Dementia Services

We are able to provide specialist support for people living with mild-moderate dementia. These services are organised by our Dementia Services Team and are available to all Southwark residents, of any age, with a confirmed dementia diagnosis. We can provide a volunteer befriender and also run three specialist dementia groups. For further information, please see the Dementia Services section of our website.

Hospital Buddy 

Hospital Buddies will provide support to older people going into hospital for elective surgery. Volunteers will be matched to an older friend 2-3 months prior to their admission and will stay in touch via home visits and telephone calls for up to 3 months after their discharge from hospital. For further information, please see the Hospital Buddy section of our website.

DIY and Gardening

We offer a DIY and light gardening service to help older people maintain their homes. Our volunteers can help with small tasks such as mowing the lawn, changing a light bulb or putting up a shelf. For further information please see the DIY and Gardening section of our website.  

Information and Support

As part of Ageing Well Southwark, we support Southwark residents over the age of 60 or living with a diagnosis of dementia, and their carers, with our new Information and Support service. We provide one-to-one support with financial, practical, health and social isolation issues. For further details, please see the Information and Support section of our website.