The Foundation Boosts Wellbeing and Happiness with a Grant Award to The Together Project
We are delighted to award a Community Grant of £10,000 to The Together Project to support Crafting Connections. Through this project, children and older adults in care homes are partnered up to create artwork on a given topic each month and swap it in the post, along with some themed ‘fun facts’ about themselves.
Demand for Crafting Connections has been overwhelming high and confirms its importance and value in care homes. There is currently a waiting list of 60 children who would like to be paired with a new older friend. For a flat fee of £10 per month, care homes can sign up as many residents as they want at: craftingconnections.org.uk.
The need for Crafting Connections is evidenced by a study of 128 care home managers that showed 79% reported that lack of social contact caused a deterioration in health and wellbeing of dementia residents. (Dementia UK, from Grace Macaskil, Mirror July 5, 2020). Additionally, research also shows that every £1 invested in tackling loneliness can save £3 in health costs. (Mcdaid, Bauer & Park, 2017)
Crafting Connections is run by national charity The Together Project. The charity boost wellbeing, reduce loneliness and foster stronger, happier communities by creating joyful intergenerational experiences.
"The Foundation is delighted to award a Community Grant to The Together Project to support Crafting Connections. The high demand for the project underlines its value and importance in care homes. Intergenerational projects connect children and older people to come together to create beautiful arts and crafts. The Foundation is confident this project will be a resounding success"
"The response from both the care homes and families has been amazing. There are so many benefits for the residents and we’ve got all these children lined up, just waiting to send their new friends something for Christmas. We’ve made it really easy for new care homes to sign up through our website."
"My favourite thing about Crafting Connections is watching the residents’ faces when they receive the pictures from their friends. The residents enjoy receiving the wonderful work the children do for them and building up a friendship. When the residents look at the pictures, photos and sometimes gifts, it makes their day. When they make pictures for their crafting connection friends it gives them a purpose. It is an amazing project that has become a big part of our residents’ life"
