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About Us

Embracing Age is a Christian charity working towards a world where older people are valued, connected and full of hope, by combatting loneliness, mobilising volunteers, equipping churches and speaking out. 
Inspired by our Christian ethos, we serve older people regardless of background, ethnicity or beliefs, upholding dignity, compassion and respect for all. 

Our Work

For Care Homes

Mobilising an army of volunteers to befriend care home residents

For Churches

Equipping churches in their ministry amongst older people

For Carers

Providing opportunities for carers to chat and pray together
You can read more about the difference Embracing Age and our supporters make in our Annual Impact Update. 

Where we operate

National Outreach - Embracing Age operates across the UK

Encouraging and supporting churches to adopt their local care home, and equipping them in their ministry amongst older people.
Carers Connected - supporting informal carers, including weekly zoom gatherings to chat and pray with other carers.

Regional projects

We also have regional areas where our Project Co-ordinators mobilise volunteers to bring joy and companionship to care home residents across those areas - currently Richmond upon Thames, the Isle of Wight, Hampshire and West Sussex. Click on an image to visit that area's page. 

If you know an older care home resident who would like to receive visits from a trained volunteer, please visit our referrals page to find out how we may be able to help connect them.

OUR VALUES

Our values are the key principles that guide our decision making and actions.
​They're a golden thread that run through all we do.

Motivated by
​LOVE
Underpinning all that we do is an awareness of God’s unconditional love towards each of us and the people we are serving. Love encompasses many attributes, including compassion, kindness and humility.

Actively COLLABORATIVE
We love to work in partnership with other organisations operating in a similar sphere, and value the input and wise counsel of all our stakeholders.

Committed to
​INTEGRITY
In all that we do we seek to act with transparency and honesty, stewarding well the resources entrusted to us.

Boldly
INNOVATIVE
We love to pioneer fresh initiatives that will benefit and empower older generations.

THE STAFF TEAM

SINÉAD CROSBIE
​CEO

Sinéad is passionate about working with older people and dedicated to supporting them to enjoy later life. With professional experience at Age UK and Citizens Advice, alongside lived experience supporting her mum with Alzheimer's, she brings both personal understanding and practical expertise. She's also completed her Level 3 British Sign Language (BSL) course and is deeply committed to being inclusive, particularly within the deaf community. She lives in Oxted and enjoys woodland walks with her dog. 

SARAH WALLER
​Impact & Comms Manager

Sarah grew up in a clergy family and has a passion for befriending, especially anyone that may be feeling isolated. She deeply respects older generations and believes that  it's vital for communities to reach out to people that might otherwise have limited companionship. She deals with all things Comms, measuring the difference we're making and anything else that's thrown at her! Sarah lives in Twickenham with her husband and three daughters.

PAUL CROWTHER
​Churches Co-ordinator

​​Paul connects with churches who want to be supported by Embracing Age. He was involved in church leadership for over 20 years and lives on the Wirral with his wife and three boys. He loves to support local church ministry and is available to talk to any church, group or individual who would like to explore developing their ministry through linking up with Embracing Age. He's an experienced preacher and can be booked as a visiting speaker.​

SARAH SMITH
​Carers Connected Co-ordinator

Sarah runs the weekly zoom gatherings, as well as developing the initiative nationwide.  She is familiar with the challenges faced by carers having looked after her both her parents with Alzheimer’s.  Sarah's passionate to show God’s love and compassion to others.  She lives with her husband and two cats in Gloucestershire, and loves being outdoors, particularly on the Suffolk coast where her parents were raised.

ZOE JONES
Hampshire Co-ordinator

Zoe's experience working in a care home environment means she's seen the difference it makes when residents feel valued and connected, and what a positive impact this has on their health and wellbeing. She  lives near Southampton and enjoys music, craft, walking and photography. 

YVONNE SPARKS
​Isle of Wight Co-ordinator

Yvonne has worked with older people for most of her working life, including 15 years in a nursing home setting. In this time, she saw the difference that social contact had for the residents - both mental and physical benefits. 
She's lived on the Island for 23 years and wouldn't live anywhere else now.. Yvonne enjoys crafting and spending time at the local bandstand listening to music.

SHABNUM KRAMER
Richmond Co-ordinator

Shabum is deeply committed to serving God through compassion ministry, which has shaped her career and personal values. She has a big heart for older people and vulnerable communities and is keen for them to feel valued, connected and loved.
She enjoys walking her dog, gardening and spending time hosting dinner parties with friends and family.​

JANE PRESTON
West Sussex Co-ordinator

Jane has always had a heart for supporting older people and understands the challenges for local communities and care homes through her own family’s experience.  Jane works across West Sussex bringing God’s love and compassion to older people by linking care home residents with befrienders and resourcing local churches to develop their ministry amongst older people. She recently moved to West Sussex with her husband and loves spending time with family, travelling and crafts.​

OUR TRUSTEES

Tim Blair - ​Chair
Tim worked for many years as a Company Secretary in the City and, more recently, was the driving force behind a project to build a new children’s hospice in south London for a well-established regional charity. He came to know about Embracing Age through his wife, Jude, who is an Embracing Age care home befriender in Hampton. He is passionate about the need to make a difference in the lives of frail, lonely and isolated older people often living with complex conditions and those with no remaining living relatives.

Tina English

​Founder
​Tina trained as a nurse many years ago and specialised in the care of older people. Following a career break to raise three children she worked in the third sector for local charities supporting older people, setting up projects for the lonely and isolated. She's  completed a Masters Degree in Charity Management. Her Christian faith, coupled with a big heart for the older generation inspired her to establish Embracing Age.​

Fiona Costa
Dr Fiona Costa originally trained at the Royal College of Music. Her lifelong interest in music, together with a calling to a ministry with older people, has led to a range of different initiatives and interests. Underpinning them all is a desire to address the loneliness and isolation so often experienced in older people. As a research fellow at the University of Roehampton, her principal research interest is the effect of music on the wellbeing and quality of life of older people. Her PhD and subsequent research projects have studied how music can alleviate pain, stress, anxiety and depression. Her most recent work focuses on the use of music to assist in maintaining memory and the ability to communicate in people with dementia. She has contributed to a number of academic journals.  Fiona is also a trustee of the Amber Trust, a charity that provides musical opportunities for blind or partially sighted children and young people and a member of the Lambeth Partnership, which supports the personal priorities of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Roderick Day
​Treasurer
Rod is a qualified accountant and has worked as a finance director for a number of different companies during his career. This has included retail, on-line and the provision of social housing. He is passionate about the activities of Embracing Age having seen the benefits of high quality community care first hand.
​Rod lives in Putney with his wife Clare, two dogs and two cats.

OUR AMBASSADORS

Our ambassadors love what we do and like to shout out about our work

Pippa Cramer MBE

Read Pippa's story

Amy Faith Morley

Read Amy's story

John Flanner MBE

Read John's story

Lady Sally Grylls

Read Sally's story

Could you be an ambassador ​ for Embracing Age?