Hello and Welcome!
Please support our work by becoming a Friend of GrandFriends.
Every Pound Counts.
Thank you!
A warm invitation
All are welcome to our Autumn Social tea party on 15th November 2026
We create rewarding connections between GrandFriends and younger people to remedy intergenerational loneliness together.
WHAT
GrandFriends UK The Company of Elders is a registered charity which launched in September 2022 in Oldfield Park in Bath.
We recruit, train and support people of retirement age, whom we describe as ‘elders’, to volunteer as GrandFriends and give their company through a range of innovative programmes designed to reach different younger age groups within our community, for mutual benefit.
The GrandFriends are at the heart of all we do and we rely in their insight to understand our impact, measured in experiences of connection. As at the end of year 4 (August 2026) our GrandFriends have created at least
- 7247 experiences of intergenerational connection between the GrandFriends and children, young people and younger adults
- 3920 experiences of peer connection between the GrandFriend volunteers.
WHY
GrandFriends is a grassroots initiative conceived by elders, parents, young people, education and medical professionals in Bath.
The charity is a joined-up solution to increasing intergenerational disconnect in our communities, caused by a number of structural and cultural factors - for example the drop in church attendance, increasing ageism, lack of interpersonal skills in younger people, digital exclusion of elders and more, all of which were exacerbated by COVID.
We saw the need for the inherently beneficial company of elders in many children and younger adults in our neighbourhoods, and simultaneously the lack of opportunity for many elders to connect with younger people in protected, regular and rewarding ways.
We focus on intergenerational loneliness as a sub-category of the national loneliness health crisis. The effect of chronic loneliness on older people’s mortality is equivalent to heavy smoking, and every pound spent on tackling loneliness in elders saves the NHS £3. Loneliness in children and young people is recognised as an indicator for mental and physical ill health, and lower academic and professional attainment.
HOW
Our work has been designed from inception with the insight of our GrandFriend volunteers, supportive members of the local community, and other organisations with experience and expertise.
Our current programmes are:
- Lunch & Play Time Visits
- Library Sessions
- The GrandFriends Social Intergenerational Tea Parties
- The GrandFriends Hobbies Exchange for children and young people.
We also have a calendar of social events for our GrandFriends to enjoy each other's company throughout the year, with 'Cafe Collectives' socials, a Christmas party and Summer party.
WHO
We have over 40 GrandFriend volunteers who we empower to give their precious time to younger people who may be missing the company of elders through our innovative programmes.
We describe our volunteers as ‘elders’, meaning people who we respect for their experience and wisdom. Each of our elders have invaluable attributes which make them assets to the community.
Our volunteers currently range in age from early 60s to late 80s. Between them the GrandFriends come from a huge range of backgrounds and circumstances, each bringing their own unique skills.
We are recruiting! Please get in touch for an informal chat. All welcome.
