Age UK Kensington & Chelsea

You may not know this...

Set up in 1973, Age UK Kensington & Chelsea has been supporting local older residents for over 44 years.

Whilst they work in partnership with the national Age UK, many people do not realise that local Age UKs are independent charities which are responsible for their own funding, finances and governance.

A big issue the charity tackles is loneliness. Loneliness is worse than people think it is. It's as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, worse for you than obesity and increases your risk of dementia, heart disease and depression.

What makes Age UK Kensington & Chelsea different?

The support they provide is much more varied and specialised than people might think. The charity play a vital role in supporting [and filling gaps in] health and social care provision. They do this by helping people to stay physically and mentally well, as well as enabling them to stay independent and connected to their communities.

Examples of this include helping people get to and from appointments, providing practical help in the home and running a range of social groups and activities to prevent loneliness and isolation. In 2015-16 their Information & Advice team put over £1million in the pockets of older people in Kensington & Chelsea in the form of extra benefits, grants and goods!

They literally go the extra mile! In April 2018 colleagues Beth and Jon ran a 27.2 mile marathon to gain more donations for the charity.

Other ways to support

Age UK Kendsington & Chelsea couldn’t do much of the work they do without their dedicated volunteers. At present they have around 340 regular volunteers who provide between 500 and 550 hours of help every single week.

However, demand for their services is always increasing and more volunteers always needed so that the charity can reach more people. Please visit theirwebsite for more information about their volunteering opportunities.