It's two years since Embracing Age launched in Hampshire, and we’ve made some incredible strides in supporting older people. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of so many individuals and groups across the county, we are now linking with care homes and supporting residents in a growing number of areas locally, as you'll see from the many pins on the map below! 

Read on to see the positive impact we’ve made together and the exciting initiatives still to come ...

One of our newer volunteers has shared a beautiful story about the friendships she's been building with three residents - relationships that have rebuilt her confidence and given her something to look forward to, just as much as the residents she spends time with. ​

Sylvia said, "I'm looking forward to going out to a nearby Costa with family to enjoy our prize voucher. Sometimes my daughter will pick up a takeaway Costa and we will sit by the water at Hamble in the summer."

Their winning score was 120 (out of a possible 165 marks), just 4 points ahead of joint second place teams. 

Thank you to all the individuals and teams who took part in our quiz - together you raised an incredible £550! Your support will enable us to bring companionship to more care home residents this year. 

The quiz answers are now available via the button below. 

​We plan to produce more fundraiser quiz sheets in the coming year so why not sign up to our quarterly newsletter via the button below to hear when they're released!

It's certainly been a summer of unpredictable weather and perhaps you have had plans cancelled or changed due to sudden stormy conditions?

The marvellous community behind Embracing Age Isle of Wight did not let heavy rain dampen their spirits at their recent Vintage Afternoon Tea Garden Party fundraiser, pushing on to enjoy a wonderful afternoon and raising over £3,000! Incredible! 

The money raised will help bring companionship and joy to more care home residents without family and friends or those that are particularly isolated. ​

One of the guests commented, "What a lovely happy party!" and a volunteer helper said afterwards, "I really enjoyed it, what a wonderful event. I'm usually in the kitchen but I really enjoyed waitressing." ​

It's always risky thanking people by name for fear of accidentally missing anyone! However, here are a few people we would particularly like to mention: 

• Barbara  & Alan for the use of their beautiful garden and all that it entailed to organise the event.
• Ryde Tesco Extra amazingly donated food to cover all the delicious sandwiches, as well as crisps and salad garnish. 
• A number of Island businesses donated to the generous raffle prizes, which we are so very grateful for in this tough economic climate.
• The star auction lot included a two night stay with breakfast at Haven Hall 5 star hotel in Shanklin generously  donated by owners David & Arielle Barratt.
• Maggie Molyneux, one of the volunteers on our fundraising team baked and donated the cakes and scones, which were delicious.
• Kimberley Jennings donated the use of her beautiful china trios, milk jugs and sugar bowls collection, and Claire Leah donated the use of her beautiful tiered cake stands from her business  Claireskitcheniow.co.uk, all of which made the event look gorgeous.
• True Vine Church and Youth For Christ Team and helpers for lending and erecting the marquee which saved the event from being cancelled due to rain.
• Everyone that volunteered both up to the event, during and afterwards - especially our volunteers who gracefully delivered the tiered cake stands in the rain! You are amazing and we could not have pulled off the event without all of you.

This event could not have happened without the generosity of all those that came together to make it a wonderful event with a very generous amount of money raised for island care home residents. Thank you to everyone that contributed through donating time, skills, use of items such as china and the marquee, gifts for prizes, donations and their attendance at the event. This really is Island community life at its best!

You can find out more about Embracing Age Isle of Wight here. We have lots of different ways to get involved as an individual or an organisation and for a range of time and skills, and we would love to welcome you into the team to bring joy and companionship to more isolated care home residents across the island.   ​

By popular demand, we held another summer quiz last week, which dare we say it was even better than last year's! 

Around 84 people joined in and it was lovely to see people who had come on their own being welcomed so warmly into teams. Sean Carey, a writer for The Chase, was again an excellent Quiz Master, setting the balance perfectly between questions that were hard enough to be interesting but not impossible. Huge thanks to Sean for agreeing to come back and deliver such an enjoyable quiz.

We are so grateful to our volunteer fundraiser, Sarah Ricketts, for organising this fundraising social for the second year running and making it a truly fun evening. One guest sent this fantastic feedback: "I just wanted to personally thank you and your colleagues for what was a great Quiz night on Friday. I am a member of a Quiz team and we try to go to all of the local charity Quiz nights. We all said that this was one of the best we have been to."

Special thanks also goes to: 

• everyone who volunteered to help Sarah - from managing the AV equipment, running the bar, front of house and selling raffle tickets, setting up and clearing away, and everything in between. We are so grateful to you all for your time and energy.
• St Stephen's Church, Twickenham for providing their great venue.
• the businesses who so generously donated items and prizes:  Your Bakery, Whitton; Rosie Chai; Frames of Twickenham; Kew Gardens; Squires Garden Centre; Osteria Pulcinella; Blush Beauty; Volta's Spa and Beauty; The Angel and Crown Richmond; St Margaret's Fish Bar; Gail's Twickenham; Saffron Persian Grill; Next; St Margaret's Wines; Oree Richmond; Rose Theatre; Hilton Syon Park; Eel Pie Pub; Portofino Pizzeria, Richmond; Harris and Toole, Twickenham; and Venchi Richmond.

And of course huge thanks to everyone that came along and made it such a fun evening, and supported us so generously! 

​Overall the evening raised a fantastic £1,115 - which will make a huge difference to our projects befriending care home residents and supporting informal carers. 

A huge success, a highly enjoyable evening and one we are keen to repeat! If you'd like to hear about upcoming events, you can sign up for our quarterly newsletter here.