Ageing Well in Lewisham

What Ageing Well in Lewisham does

Ageing Well in Lewisham is a UK-registered community charity (operated as a project of Lewisham Churches Care, registered charity 1126357) that has run since 1999 to reduce social isolation among older residents in the London Borough of Lewisham. It delivers five recurring programmes on a drop-in basis: The Befrienders (Tuesday singing and friendship group led with Trinity Laban vocal leaders), Fitness & Fun (Wednesday seated exercise), Crafts Plus (Tuesday creative arts), Silver Lunch Club (Thursday communal dining with activities), and Over 55s Coffee Morning (first Friday monthly information session). Programmes are held at accessible community venues across the borough, including Wesley Halls in Downham, South Lewisham Group Practice in Bellingham, and The Grove Centre in Sydenham. Referrals come via local churches, GP practices, Citizens Advice Lewisham, Community Connections Lewisham, and the Positive Ageing Council.

The organisation's technology footprint is minimal: no proprietary platforms, products, or digital tooling beyond a Wix-hosted website at ageingwellinlewisham.org, a Facebook page, and a Twitter/X account. Outreach is word-of-mouth and partnership-driven, with the 2025 launch of an online Resources Hub offering health, wellbeing, and digital-assistance content marking the only material digital expansion. Staffing is small, with one named Programme Manager (Winnie Carlson) and three named session leaders (Natasha Lohan for singing, Ann Bagnall for seated exercise, Shiree Allen for crafts).

Revenue is generated almost entirely from grants and donations rather than service fees. Primary funders are the London Borough of Lewisham, City Bridge Trust, and a two-year 2025 grant from Global's Make Some Noise (the official charity of Global Media & Entertainment). Programmatic income is limited to small per-session fees of £4-5 for Fitness & Fun and Silver Lunch Club, with the Coffee Morning offered free. Additional small-dollar income is raised via the Lewisham Community Lottery and LocalGiving. The 25-year operating track record and 2025 anniversary celebration indicate an established, stable rather than scaling organisation.

Name

Ageing Well in Lewisham

Legal name

Ageing Well in Lewisham

Website

https://ageingwellinlewisham.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ageing Well in Lewisham is a UK community charity running five weekly social, creative, and exercise programmes for isolated older residents in the London Borough of Lewisham, operating since 1999 as a project of Lewisham Churches Care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community services for older adults

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Adult Day Care (Non-Medical Supervision & Activities) (HSABANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Senior Social Clubs & Community-Based Day Programs (Non-Clinical) (HSABANAK), Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF), Meals, Nutrition & Congregate Dining Day Programs (HSABANAM)

Keywords

• Older people's services
• Community social programs
• Social isolation support
• Creative ageing activities
• Community health charity

Headquarters

HQ city

City Of 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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant funding: Primary funding from charitable foundations and government grants including Global's Make Some Noise, London Borough of Lewisham, and City Bridge Trust.
2. Program fees: Small attendance fees charged for some programs including Silver Lunch Club (£5) and Fitness & Fun (£4) sessions.
3. Donations: Individual donations accepted via LocalGiving platform and Lewisham Community Lottery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ageing Well in Lewisham is a registered charity project of Lewisham Churches Care (charity 1126357) that delivers five recurring community-based programmes for older residents aged 60+ in the London Borough of Lewisham: a singing/friendship group (The Befrienders), a seated exercise class (Fitness & Fun), a creative arts group (Crafts Plus), a Thursday lunch club (Silver Lunch Club), and a monthly Coffee Morning with guest speakers. Programmes are offered free or for a small fee at community venues across the borough, with drop-in participation and no membership required.

Product overview

Ageing Well in Lewisham operates as a portfolio of community-based social programmes for older people aged 60 and over in the London Borough of Lewisham. The core offering consists of five regular weekly/monthly groups: The Befrienders (singing and friendship), Fitness & Fun (seated exercise), Crafts Plus (creative arts), Silver Lunch Club (communal dining), and Over 55s Coffee Morning (social gatherings). Additionally, the Resources Hub provides online access to health, wellbeing, and practical support information. Together, these programmes form an integrated approach to reducing social isolation and promoting mental and physical wellbeing through friendship and creativity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Befrienders A weekly singing and friendship group for older people, held on Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 11:45 am. No experience is required; participants share music, create original pieces, and take part in movement and mindfulness. Sessions are led by vocal leaders from Trinity Laban and include online Zoom delivery on some occasions.
• Fitness & Fun (Bingo And Body) A seated exercise group held on Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 11:45 am at The Grove Centre, 2 Jews Walk, Sydenham. An experienced session leader guides participants in seated exercise set to music to maintain mobility and build strength. Charged at £4 per session.
• Over 55s Coffee Morning (Golden Agers) A monthly coffee morning held on the first Friday of the month from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at South Lewisham Group Practice, Bellingham. Features guest speakers from local organisations in a friendly and informative setting. Free to attend.
• Silver Lunch Club A Thursday lunch club from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm at Wesley Halls, Shroffold Road, Downham. Includes activities, games, quizzes, a hot lunch, and speakers from local groups and organisations. Charged at £5 per session.
• Crafts Plus A creative arts and crafts group held on Tuesdays from 1 pm to 3 pm at community venues. Features fun and accessible projects in different mediums; no prior experience required. Focused on nurturing wellbeing and making new friends.
• Resources Hub An online resource hub providing health advice, wellbeing resources, practical support, and arts and community information for older people, including NHS exercise resources, digital assistance guidance, and connections to local services such as Citizens Advice Lewisham and Community Connections Lewisham.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core, major and minor.

• The Albany / Entelechy ArtssecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Arts organisation featuring The Befrienders on the 'Meet Me on the Radio' show. Collaboration on radio programming showcasing older people's creative work.
• Lewisham Churches CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent registered charity (reg. charity 1126357) that operates Ageing Well in Lewisham as its project arm. Provides governance, trustees, and organisational support.
• Trinity LabanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic and dance conservatory providing vocal leaders (Natasha Lohan, Jennifer Barwise) who facilitate The Befrienders singing group. Collaboration includes 'Inspired Not Tired' program and co-creation of musical pieces during lockdown.
• eye4changesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts for health organisation running 'Differences in Common' mindful photography project with Silver Lunch Club members.
• Arts NetworksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts network producing 'Stay Connected' zine with creative ideas shared with Ageing Well members.
• Make Mee StudiosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative studio running 'Patched Together' collaborative textile project for Lewisham residents, featuring Ageing Well members' work in online exhibition.
• Citizens Advice LewishamsecondaryOthersGeneral advice services provider referenced on resources page. Call 0800 231 5453.
• Community Connections Lewisham (Age UK Lewisham)secondaryOthersMental health drop-ins, telephone befriending, transport, and connections to community groups and services. Tel: 0330 058 3464.
• Bring Me SunshineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner project also supported by Global's Make Some Noise grant alongside Ageing Well in Lewisham.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Silver Line Helpline: UK-wide free, confidential helpline for older people offering befriending and information. Comparable isolation-reduction mission targeting the same over-60 demographic.
• Age UK Lewisham & Southwark: The directly named local referral partner and sister organization operating in Lewisham, providing overlapping services (befriending, social activities, information/advice) for older residents in the same borough.
• Re-engage (formerly Contact the Elderly): National charity combating loneliness in older people through group social activities and befriending. Directly comparable service model (free tea-party groups and befriending for over-75s) and beneficiary focus.
• Independent Age: UK charity providing advice, befriending, and grants to older people facing hardship. Comparable mission, comparable beneficiary group, and overlapping befriending/community-connection services.

Emerging players

• Carers Trust: UK charity supporting unpaid carers, including many caring for older relatives — adjacent beneficiary group that overlaps with Ageing Well's family-member/caregiver referral segment.

Broad incumbents

• Age UK: The UK's largest charity for older people, providing advice, befriending, social activities, and campaigning. National umbrella that Ageing Well in Lewisham effectively operates beneath at the borough level.
• Royal Voluntary Service: Large UK charity providing volunteer-led social activities, hospital support, and community services for older people. Overlapping mission and delivery model, though operating at much greater scale and breadth.
• Mind: National mental-health charity that intersects with Ageing Well's work on depression, anxiety, and isolation among older adults, particularly through its older-people's programs and partnerships with local Minds.

Others

• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): Sector membership body for UK charities and voluntary organizations. Comparable nonprofit operating context and source of benchmarking data, rather than a direct service competitor.
• Locality: UK membership network supporting community-led organizations with infrastructure, advocacy, and funding access. Comparable operating model as a community-led nonprofit and potential umbrella/support partner for scaling Ageing Well.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/agewelllewisham
• Facebookfacebook.com/agewelllewisham
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ageing-well-in-lewisham

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ageing Well in Lewisham