About Age UK Westminster

Age UK Westminster is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. We exist to promote the well-being of older people in the City of Westminster and to help them lead independent, fulfilling lives for as long as possible.

We provide a wide range of services that reduce hardship, disadvantage, loneliness and isolation for older people in our local community. The population of Westminster is particularly diverse, which means that we provide a lot of support to Black & Minority Ethnic groups (BAME) residing in the borough.

We are particularly resolved to provide opportunities for older service users to get involved in Age UK Westminster’s volunteer programme. Many volunteer in our shop (Harrow Road) or support our information and advice and befriending services. They are also involved in the development of future services by providing valuable input.

Last year, we assisted over 4500 older people and helped our clients to access over £1m through welfare benefits and discretionary grants.

Our key activities are noted below. These services are run by 6 dedicated full-time staff, 7 part time staff, and supported by over 665 volunteers and 8 Trustees.

Age UK Westminster is a delivery partner for the ‘Westminster Advice Services Partnership’, focused on the delivery of services for older people in Westminster. Our Information and Advice team signpost to services both within Age UK Westminster and to those of our voluntary sector partners and affiliates.

We provide weekly “drop in surgeries/face-to-face appointments” at three community locations across the borough, office appointments and home visits for those who are housebound. We also operate an enquiries line for information and signposting Monday-Friday 10am-2pm.

These services can provide older people with flexibility with their support needs. Our service provides help managing these options.

This project provides weekly visits to older people who are isolated from their communities and suffering from loneliness. Our befriending clients are mostly housebound or restricted by severe mobility issues.

These visits allow our clients to enjoy regular friendly interaction, which is proven to have a positive impact on their emotional well-being. We currently have 85 active befriending matches and are steadily working through our waiting list of clients waiting to be matched.

IT Digital Inclusion project is focused on helping older Westminster residents to make the most of the internet and their electronic devices in later life and help towards preventing loneliness. This project provides our clients with one on one IT lessons at one of our monthly community events or in the comfort of their home for those who are housebound.

These sessions enable older people to learn basic IT and internet and social media skills on their own laptop, tablet, mobile phone or other electronic device. The lessons are delivered by volunteers with extensive IT experience, and the learning will focus on using IT to maintain independence and communicate with loved ones.

Alongside the lessons we also run regular iTea parties, which are supported by local corporate volunteers and open to all Westminster residents aged 60 plus. These events invite older people to bring along their electronic device and receive ad hoc tech advice in a relaxed, friendly environment.

This project is dedicated to tackling barriers in older volunteering. We recruit older volunteers and offer them opportunities to get involved and secure the health benefits of volunteering in retirement. Whilst volunteering they also have regular access to our staff, who are always happy to provide ad hoc advice and practical help with everyday challenges.

Active clients are also invited to join our service user group, which meets twice a year to discuss Age UK Westminster’s services and gather direct feedback from our service users on how we can improve our work and provide more effective support.

Age UK Westminster has many volunteering opportunities to suit everyone. Roles range from helping in our charity shop, volunteering at a Digital Inclusion session, reception and admin support, befriending, supporting our outreach activities, helping at a community event, becoming an ambassador, fundraising etc.

The list is endless and we accept applications from anyone the age of 18 or over. A lot of our work involves intergenerational communication through our befriending and digital inclusion sessions which is an important aspect of our work and it helps the different generations get to know and understand people’s differing needs.

Age UK Westminster have a packed activity programme keeping the older people of Westminster active on a weeklybasis. All of our activities are open to any Westminster residents aged 55 plus. Activities range from monthly coffee mornings, day trips, games group (chess, scrabble, card games). Themed events, i.e in February we held a Marylebone Rendezvous for Valentine’s Day.

This project includes a specialist Befriending Service and Advocacy Service specifically supporting clients living with a visual impairment in Westminster. The service also educates people to recognise early signs of sight loss and lifestyle choices that can be made to prevent it.

Working with private sector organisations in Westminster, we provide tailored opportunities for local businesses to support our organisation and its clients. These opportunities include fundraising, providing practical help at Age UK events and group befriending.

Christmas Day Lunch & Visit – we fund raise every year to provide a Christmas day lunch delivery to over 360 older people accompanied by a gift, chocolate and a voucher. Our volunteers also give some companionship too.

This intergenerational project matches school children and their families with older people living alone on Christmas day, to provide companionship on what can be the loneliest day of the year.