Bringing smiles to your door!

We’re excited to be part of a new campaign which brings together local community groups and charities in Barnet to support older and vulnerable people in the challenging winter ahead.

Called Bringing Smiles To Your Door, it's launching on World Kindness Day – Friday 13 November.

The idea is that some of the older people we support will receive a host of treats delivered to their door over the next month or so – for instance, plants and bulbs and laminated pictures painted by nursery and school children. Pupils will also be helping us to deliver essential food shopping, parcels and meals.

We are pleased to be working with The Good Neighbour Scheme Mill Hill and Burnt Oak and The Jewish Association for Mental Health (JAMI). Plants are supplied by The FlowerBank with flowers donated by M&S and drawings co-ordinated by Joining Young and Old (JOY).

The initiative will be part of Mitzvah Day’s Month of Mitzvahs, which includes a focus on combatting isolation and loneliness. It is hoped that the initiative can then grow across our local faith and care sectors.

Working together

The Worshipful Mayor of Barnet Cllr Caroline Stock, who is supporting this campaign, says: 'Acts of kindness can really cost so little – the delivery of a plant, flowers or bulbs, a phone call, a handwritten message, beautiful picture or the delivery of a meal can truly make a difference.'

Cllr Sara Conway (Burnt Oak), who helped kickstart the project, says: 'It’s so special to be part of this initiative bringing together fantastic local organisations and volunteers to highlight and increase care and connection across our borough.'

Vicky Rachel from JAMI explained: 'The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed the way we live and, for many of us, has had a detrimental effect on our mental health and wellbeing. Maintaining social connections and looking out for one another has never been more important.'

Finally, Age UK Barnet chief executive Helen Newman speaks on behalf of the people we support. ‘After such a tough year, and the blow of a second lockdown, many of the clients we support are feeling understandably despondent. But initiatives like this, where the local community comes together to show we care, can make a huge difference to someone who feels that they’ve been overlooked. We look forward to seeing our clients’ faces light up when they receive their plants and drawings.’ 

To find out more about the campaign, contact us on helen.nicolaou@ageukbarnet.org.uk. The programme will run according to covid safety guidelines.