#WarmHeartCamden Campaign Update

Thank you to all who have donated their  Winter Fuel Allowance to us for our Warm Heart Camden campaign! We’ve made it our pledge for 2019 to reach & support even more people in Camden this year and every donation and offer of support makes this possible.

There’s been an incredible response from the community so far, and some famous names have shown their support including writer Alan Bennett, our patron Derek Jacobi and Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council. Age UK Camden Service Manager Sassaka Amena said “We have been really moved by the stories behind the donations we’ve had. This campaign has got people thinking, in a very neighbourly way, about how they can help older people in their area by donating their Winter Fuel Allowance to us.” Lilian Shillingford, a regular at our Henderson Court Centre spoke about the campaign in the Camden New Journal. She said, “I think if people can afford it, the rich that really have got money they don’t know what to do with should consider giving it to charity.”

Winter is a particularly difficult time for many of the older people we work with as cold weather and high energy prices exacerbate illness and rates of poverty. A recent Guardian newspaper report stated that 379 older people in the UK died unnecessarily each day last winter, and winter deaths like these are higher than average in Camden. At Age UK Camden we work hard to reach and support as many older people as possible and ensure that no one falls through the gaps.

Donations to the campaign will be used within the borough to provide warmth and welfare to older people in many ways, including:

• Our two Day Centres that provide a homemade hot meal every day and a warm and welcoming social space to enjoy.
• Our Information and Advice service that advises people on benefits they are entitled to, making sure they don’t have to choose between heating and eating.
• Our Outreach team who knock on doors and visits launderettes, pubs and betting shops to find the most socially isolated older people to link them to groups and services to improve their lives whatever the weather.
• Our Dementia Wellbeing service that helps keep people living with dementia and memory loss independent and connected to their communities when winter weather may leave them at greater risk of becoming isolated.
• Our Care Navigation and Social Prescribing team, who make sure people who’ve received a serious health diagnosis get to their hospital appointments which can be especially difficult in the winter months.
• Our Community Connectors who find community based activities for older people who find it difficult stay connected to their communities even when low temperatures can make getting out difficult.

Here’s how to find out more about Winter Fuel Allowance:

Visit the government's website here to claim your Winter Fuel Allowance if you haven’t received it automatically. If you were born on or before 5 November 1953 you will be eligible.

Here’s how to donate:

You can donate by texting the code AUCA18 followed by the amount to 70070,

You can donate to us on our Virgin Money Giving page here.

You can send a cheque in the post made payable to Age UK Camden, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9NA

Or make a bank transfer to: Account Name: Age Concern Camden Sort Code: 40 52 40 Account Number: 00014936