Age UK Richmond brought the community together by hosting a Christmas market in their Twickenham Wellbeing Centre today, featuring 20 independent businesses and artisans.
Independent from the national charity Age UK, they help more than 4,600 people to live independently and tackle issues such as social isolation, digital exclusion, financial and emotional hardship.
“We have helped people claim nearly £1 million in extra income in the last financial year,” said Aydee Burke, Age UK Richmond Communications and Fundraising Manager.
Age UK Richmond also supports those who become unwell with no one around to help, and runs a lot of social activities, exercise classes, outings, and parties to create opportunities for new friendships to be made and kept.
One of the stalls displayed the creations of the weekly embroidery class that the centre hosts, which is attended by around 12 people each week. Running the stall were Antonia Alves and Christine Cattini.
“It’s like a family,” said Alves. “We love each other very much. It’s the most beautiful day of the week.”
Alves was shortlisted for the Richmond Upon Thames’ annual Community Heroes Outstanding Volunteer Award, “for her quiet, constant kindness and support for others, creating a warm, caring community through her volunteering with Age UK Richmond and her compassionate, instinctive help to anyone in need”.
Also at the market was Hannah Cakes, a small cake business run by 14-year-old Hannah Gunn, who makes desserts for the centre every Tuesday.
“I started baking cakes for them every week in Year 5, and I suppose it grew from there,” said Hannah.
Talking about her plans for the future, Gunn said that she is “seeing where it’s going to go with everything”, but with GCSEs coming up next year, she isn’t sure “how big a scale it could go”.
Burke stated that they’re here to help everyone in the borough, and has urged the importance of the charity in helping those who are facing the loneliness epidemic, especially at Christmas.
Find out more about what support Age UK Richmond offers here.
Join the discussion