South London Cares

What South London Cares does

South London Cares was a UK-registered charitable organisation that operated from 2014 until its closure in November 2023, delivering free intergenerational programmes to reduce loneliness and bridge generational divides in the London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth. It was one of five sibling charities under the umbrella of The Cares Family, alongside North London Cares, East London Cares, Manchester Cares and Liverpool Cares, and shared a common operating model with those entities. Its beneficiaries were two distinct personas within those two boroughs: older neighbours aged 65 and above experiencing isolation, and younger neighbours aged 16-35 experiencing urban loneliness, both of whom were brought together through structured activities and one-to-one matching.

The organisation ran a portfolio of free programmes anchored by Social Clubs (over 20 in-person, telephone or Zoom-based group activities per month spanning quizzes, workshops, dance events and cultural trips), Love Your Neighbour (a one-to-one friendship matching programme with over 170 active pairings) and a proactive Outreach function that identified isolated older residents through GP surgeries, supermarkets, libraries, faith groups and other community venues. Supplementary offerings included Winter Wellbeing (a seasonal project that recorded 1,649 conversations and 549 interventions in 2018/19), #AllTogether Activity Packs, Phone Social Clubs and Technology Workshops helping older neighbours use digital devices. The organisation held no proprietary technology stack beyond standard accessible communication platforms such as Zoom and email, and relied on a board of trustees, a small staff team and a community of volunteers for delivery.

South London Cares generated no fee revenue from participants, instead operating a donation-funded non-profit model in which community fundraising (sporting challenges, individual giving, business partnerships, online campaigns) historically contributed an average of 30% of income and reached roughly 40% by 2019, supplemented by grant funding from bodies such as the Cabinet Office and Nesta and by corporate sponsorships (e.g. Tideway for the Winter Party 2021). The charity received formal impact evaluation support from Renaisi between 2016 and 2019, evidencing outcomes such as 73% of older neighbours feeling less isolated and 98% of younger neighbours reporting greater community connection. After suspending face-to-face programmes during COVID-19 and pivoting to phone- and Zoom-based delivery from March 2020, the charity ultimately closed in November 2023 alongside the wider Cares Family network due to fundraising difficulties and insolvency.

Name

South London Cares

Legal name

South London Cares

Website

https://southlondoncares.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

South London Cares was a UK charity (2014-2023) that ran free intergenerational Social Clubs, Love Your Neighbour one-to-one friendship matching and Outreach programmes in the Southwark and Lambeth boroughs to reduce loneliness among older (65+) and younger (16-35) residents as part of The Cares Family network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Community Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Loneliness reduction programmes
• Intergenerational community programmes
• Social clubs for elderly
• Charity community outreach
• Volunteer friendship matching

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Community Fundraising: For nine years, an average of 30% of income was raised directly from community members through sporting challenges, community events, individual donations, business partnerships and online campaigns.
2. Grant Funding: The charity received funding from government bodies and foundations including the Cabinet Office and Nesta through their Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund for evaluations.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Local businesses and corporate partners contributed funding and support, including Tideway for the Winter Party event.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

South London Cares was a UK charitable organisation that connected older neighbours (aged 65+) and younger neighbours (aged 16-35) in the Southwark and Lambeth boroughs through free intergenerational programmes. Its core offerings were Social Clubs (group activities held in-person, by phone and via Zoom) and the Love Your Neighbour one-to-one friendship matching programme, supported by Outreach work with local partners and Community Fundraising activities.

Product overview

South London Cares was a charitable organization offering a suite of interconnected social programmes designed to connect older and younger neighbours and reduce loneliness. The core offerings included Social Clubs (group activities across multiple formats including in-person, phone, and video), Love Your Neighbour (one-to-one friendship matching), Outreach (community-based identification of isolated individuals), and Community Fundraising (peer-led fundraising initiatives). Supplementary programmes included seasonal Winter Wellbeing projects, #AllTogether Activity Packs, Phone Social Clubs, and Technology Workshops. The organization operated from 2014 to 2023 in Southwark and Lambeth before closing due to fundraising challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Social Clubs: Group activities where older and younger neighbours meet, share experiences and build relationships
• Love Your Neighbour
• Outreach
• Community Fundraising
• Winter Wellbeing

Products and services

• Social Clubs Free group activities combining in-person, telephone, and Zoom-based social events where older and younger neighbours meet to share time, laughter, new experiences, and build relationships through activities such as quizzes, workshops, karaoke, hip-hop nights, choirs, dance workshops and cultural trips.
• Love Your Neighbour A free one-to-one friendship matching programme that introduces younger and older neighbours in Southwark and Lambeth to share time, laughter, and connection via phone, in-person visits, or a mix of both, typically spending about an hour together weekly.
• Outreach Proactive community outreach programme working with local partners across Southwark and Lambeth to identify and invite older and younger neighbours to join the community, including visits to chemists, supermarkets, GP surgeries, pubs, libraries, community centres, faith groups and local estates.
• Community Fundraising A fundraising programme offering challenge events, community events, corporate partnerships and digital campaigns that gave older and younger neighbours an opportunity to support and fund the network while building camaraderie and connection.
• Winter Wellbeing Annual winter outreach project helping older neighbours stay warm, active, healthy and connected during isolating winter months, including delivering warm items, offering small grants, connecting people to housing, finance and energy advice, and signing people up to year-round programmes.
• #AllTogether Activity Packs Free monthly activity packs sent by post or email containing creative activities for every week of the month, including prompts like writing letters, deciding on hypothetical scenarios, or creating abstract poems from newspaper words.
• Phone Social Clubs Telephone-based social clubs hosted over Zoom where participants join via phone, allowing neighbours without devices or technology knowledge to connect with others and take part in discussion groups on various topics.
• Technology Workshops Technology support sessions helping older neighbours learn to use smartphones, tablets and laptops, including setting up video calling and joining Zoom-based virtual social clubs, provided through one-to-one support and group workshops.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% of older neighbours feel less isolated
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Age UK LambethcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Local Age UK branch that provided advice services for older neighbours referred by South London Cares. Example: Anthony was referred to Age UK Lambeth for financial and housing advice.
• RenaisicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Social research organisation that conducted a full-length evaluation of the Cares Family model, funded by Cabinet Office and Nesta through the Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund. The 18-month evaluation published in 2019 showed impact on loneliness and wellbeing of older and younger neighbours.
• GoodGymcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer service that paired runners with older neighbours for visits. Example: Anthony was introduced to GoodGym for weekly visits alongside his Love Your Neighbour match.
• TidewayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that sponsored the South London Cares Winter Party 2021, enabling a large community celebration with live brass band, Jamaican food, and raffle prizes at the Cinema Museum.
• Caribe (Brixton caterer)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Brixton-based catering business that provided Jamaican food for the Winter Party, supporting the local community while being supported by South London Cares.
• Local Healthcare ProviderscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGP surgeries across Southwark and Lambeth referred isolated older neighbours to South London Cares programmes and served as outreach locations.
• Local Community VenuescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenues including supermarkets, libraries, community centres, faith groups, pubs, and betting shops served as outreach locations for identifying and engaging isolated older neighbours.
• The Cares FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organisation comprising North London Cares, Manchester Cares, Liverpool Cares, and East London Cares. South London Cares was one of five sibling charities sharing the same model and values. Connected during virtual events like Disco parties.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• GoodGym: UK charity combining running with social good, including weekly visits to isolated older neighbours — a partnership of South London Cares. Overlapping volunteer-run community engagement with older people who experience isolation.

Broad incumbents

• Age UK: National federation of local charities providing advice, befriending, and social programmes for older people across the UK. South London Cares referred neighbours to Age UK Lambeth for advice; broad overlap in target audience and befriending services.
• The Cares Family: Umbrella charity (parent) coordinating the five regional Cares charities, providing shared branding, evaluation, fundraising infrastructure, and central services. Materially related as the operating context in which South London Cares existed.
• Royal Voluntary Service: Large UK voluntary organisation providing volunteer-led social activities, hospital support, and befriending for older people. Comparable audience and volunteer mobilisation model at significantly greater scale.

Others

• Independent Age: National advice and befriending charity for older people. Thematically aligned on loneliness and ageing well but primarily a free advice/helpline provider rather than a community-orchestration model.

Direct peers

• North London Cares: First sibling charity in The Cares Family (founded 2011), running identical Social Clubs, Love Your Neighbour, and Outreach programmes in north London boroughs. Same model, same evaluator, same parent umbrella — the most direct comparability for South London Cares.
• Manchester Cares: Third sibling charity established in 2017 offering the same Social Clubs and Love Your Neighbour programmes to younger and older Mancunians. Direct geographic peer outside London.
• Liverpool Cares: Joined The Cares Family in 2018, replicating the Love Your Neighbour and Social Clubs model in Liverpool. Operates from the same playbook as South London Cares.
• East London Cares: Joined The Cares Family in 2019 and operates the same intergenerational social club and one-to-one friendship model in Tower Hamlets and Hackney. Closely comparable programme design and audience.
• Re-engage: UK charity running group social events, tea parties, and one-to-one befriending calls specifically to combat older people's isolation. Highly comparable mission, audience (65+), and volunteer-led service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SouthLDNCares
• Facebookfacebook.com/southlondoncares
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-london-cares
• Instagraminstagram.com/southlondoncares

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South London Cares