Tower Hamlets Friends and Neighbours

13/07/2026

Our July newsletter is out — Neighbours in the Know.
This one belongs to the people we befriend. 49 older people across Tower Hamlets told us what our befriending service means to them, and we've put their answers front and centre. Every single one is satisfied with the service. What do they value most? Not the errands, not the appointments — someone to talk to.

Also inside:
📞 Scam Watch — the phone scams doing the rounds right now, the golden rule about one-time passcodes, and the two numbers worth writing by the phone: dial 159 if "your bank" calls, and text 'call' to 7726 to report a scam.
🏠 Help with April's rent increase for council tenants — the new Hardship Fund is first come, first served, so don't sit on it. Call 020 7364 5015.
💬 Paid opportunity to have your say on the new One Stop Shop at the Harford Centre — £20 voucher per meeting.

And a scam-themed word search. All ten words come from the scam pages — if you can find them in the grid, you can spot them on the phone.
Free, and made to be shared. It comes in large print and in a screen-reader-friendly version too — just ask. Read it at

We are looking forward to conference today Central to our work is addressing amongst older people

13/07/2026

We asked the older people we befriend what THFN means to them.

Their answers stopped us in our tracks.
💬 "THFN saves lives."
💬 "She does more for me than my own children."
💬 "It is a lifeline for Mum and for me."

And one lady we support today told us we also supported her mother — 30 years ago. Her words: "Why would you not support such a caring and professional organisation?"

Every single person we asked — all 49 — said they were satisfied with the service. Almost all said we've improved their quality of life and helped them feel less lonely.

Most of the people we visit are over 75, live with long-term health conditions, and many can't leave home without help. A friendly face at the door, someone to talk to, a bit of practical help — that's what we've been doing in Tower Hamlets since 1947.

To our befrienders and volunteers: this is your work. Thank you. ❤️
Find out more at www.thfn.org.uk

24/06/2026

🔴 A red heat alert is in place this Wednesday and Thursday — and this kind of heat is no joke for older or housebound neighbours.
A few simple things make a real difference: a cold drink within easy reach 💧, curtains closed against the sun ☀️, and someone popping in or phoning to check they're okay 🫶
We've put together a quick guide on what to do and what to watch for. Please have a read, and share it with anyone who looks out for an older relative, friend or neighbour 👇

A red Heat-Health Alert is in effect. For the older, isolated and unwell people many of us support, this level of heat carries real risk — dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and the worsening of existing heart, lung, kidney and other conditions. Heat illness can escalate quickly, and a hot ...

22/06/2026

It's Small Charity Week (22–29 June) 💛 So we want to be honest with you about who we are.

Tower Hamlets Friends & Neighbours is a small charity. No big marketing budget, no corporate machine behind us — just a committed team and a wonderful network of volunteers who turn up, week after week, for the older and isolated neighbours who might otherwise go days without a friendly face or a kind word.

And here's something we don't shout about often enough: every £1 invested in our befriending work saves an estimated £3.75 in NHS and care costs. Fewer lonely GP visits. Fewer crisis hospital admissions. Care home moves delayed, sometimes by years. In one of the loneliest boroughs in the country for older people, that cup of tea and that weekly knock on the door aren't a luxury — they're what keeps people well.

But it only works if we're there every single week. And that takes funding we can count on.
That's where you come in. 🙏

A regular monthly gift — £3, £5, £10, whatever feels right — gives us the confidence to plan. To promise a befriending visit will keep happening. To say yes when a neighbour needs us, instead of if we can find the money.

This Small Charity Week, please consider setting up a regular donation. £10 a month from you could unlock far more than £10 of difference for someone who's counting on us.

👉 Donate here: https://www.thfn.org.uk/donate/

Small charity. Real neighbourhood. Lasting difference. 💙

21/06/2026

Volunteer befrienders wanted — Tower Hamlets Friends & Neighbours

THFN supports isolated older people across Tower Hamlets through regular friendly visits and phone calls. We're currently recruiting volunteer befrienders to be matched with an older neighbour.

What's involved: regular contact — in person or by phone — with someone who'd value the company.
The commitment: at least one hour every week, for a minimum of six months. No experience needed.
What we offer: full training, ongoing support and expenses.
Deadline: please apply by Friday 28 August 2026.

To apply or learn more: [email protected] / www.thfn.org.uk

19/06/2026

☀️ It's going to be a hot few days — please check on the older people in your life.
The Met Office has issued an amber heat-health alert for London, in place until Tuesday 23 June, with temperatures heading into the thirties. Heat is hardest on older people, especially anyone living alone, and it builds up quietly over several days.
It doesn't take much to make a difference:

Give them a call, or knock on the door
Make sure they're drinking plenty of water
Help keep their home cool — curtains and blinds shut during the day, windows open when it's cooler in the evening
Look out for headaches, dizziness, confusion or unusual tiredness, and get help if you're worried

And if your concern goes beyond this week — if you know an older person who is often alone and could do with regular friendly contact — that's exactly what we're here for. Get in touch with THFN and we'll talk about how our befriending service can help.
A phone call costs nothing. This week, it might mean a great deal. 💙

17/06/2026

A reminder worth sharing as the World Cup gets going.
Domestic abuse goes up 38% when England lose a match — and 26% even when they win. Win or lose, no result is ever an excuse.
Need support, or worried about someone? Call Solace on 020 3795 5064.
Worried your own behaviour is crossing a line? Call the Respect Phoneline on 0808 802 4040.
Please share — you never know who needs to see it.

15/06/2026

We have taken the OATH. I commit to a Safer Ageing Society by 2050 https://lnkd.in/eHSw74-t - will you?

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

15/06/2026

💜 Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Abuse of older people can be physical, emotional, psychological, domestic or financial — and it's often hidden. Recent figures show around 1 in 20 people aged 60–74, and 1 in 30 aged 75 and over, experienced domestic abuse in the past year. Many never tell anyone.
At Tower Hamlets Friends & Neighbours, we believe no older person should suffer in silence. If you need help, or you're worried about someone, please reach out:
👉 If the abuse is by a partner or family member, make a safeguarding referral to Tower Hamlets Connect (even if the council isn't providing care). You can also contact Solace Women's Aid for confidential support, including for older victims.
👉 For anything else — including abuse by a carer or financial abuse — contact Adult Social Care.
📞 Who to contact:

Tower Hamlets Connect / Adult Social Care — 0300 303 6070 | [email protected]
Solace Women's Aid — 020 3795 5064 | www.solacewomensaid.org
Hourglass — 0808 808 8141 | www.wearehourglass.org
Age UK Advice Line — 0800 678 1602 | www.ageuk.org.uk

If something doesn't feel right, please make the call. 💜