June is Pride Month, so we’ve been highlighting Rainbow Call Companions, our befriending service for older people who identify as LGBT+. Our aim was to raise awareness of the service and encourage more people to consider signing up, and for friends or family members of people 75 and older who are part of the LGBT+ community, to tell their loved ones about it. We focused on challenging some myths about accessing a service like this that people may hold, and sharing stories of people engaged in the service, whose positive experiences will hopefully resonate with others and encourage them to explore if it's for them.

June was also the month where we marked both Volunteers’ Week, and Loneliness Awareness Week, two milestones in our annual calendar when we show gratitude for those who deliver services and reflect on the challenges of loneliness and how we can make a positive impact to those affected. Thank you to all of you who volunteer or support Re-engage for helping us reduce loneliness amongst older people.

This summer, we continue to celebrate 60 years of Re-engage and reflect on the many lives touched through the incredible contributions of our older people, volunteers and of course - you - the people who support us. I'm proud that the charity has stayed true to its roots, and continues to reduce loneliness in later life now, in 2025, just as it did in 1965. Loneliness isn’t a new phenomenon, but in an ever-changing world, which can feel uncertain and unpredictable at times, the enduring will of people to help others, to be a good friend, neighbour, or family member, means our work can continue to support older people experiencing loneliness or isolation, making the world just a bit more friendly and connected.

Without the support of volunteers, and the people who fundraise for us, none of our work would be possible. We’re determined to continue making a difference to older people living with loneliness for another 60 years at least, which means we need to be focused on developing innovative and effective services, and be creative with the way we fundraise. As the year unfolds, we’ll be sharing more ways to fundraise for us, and showing how your donations make a significant difference.

Earlier this year, we asked the readership of Time Together, our magazine for older people, for their feedback on accessing GP services. We had a record-breaking 900 responses, and as a result of the interest in this important topic, we are planning to launch a new campaign over the next few months which will highlight the concerns older people raised around access to GPs, and the impact this has on social isolation and loneliness. We’ll keep you updated with ways you can support this campaign.