People of all ages and from different cultural backgrounds in Tower Hamlets will continue to benefit from a scheme aimed at combating loneliness and improving intergenerational connections through art projects thanks to a generous grant from London Freemasons.

The £15,000 grant to Magic Me – the UK’s leading provider of intergenerational art projects – will help the charity to continue to provide regular intergenerational activities and link older people with children, teenagers and young adults to combat isolation and instil a sense of purpose. These activities include Cocktails in Care Homes, Arts and Ages, and women’s projects initiatives.

Tower Hamlets is one of the most deprived boroughs in London, and migration means that older and younger generations are often of different cultural backgrounds and rarely meet or report feeling uneasy when they do. Half of all older people in Tower Hamlets live in income deprivation, which impacts wellbeing and feelings of isolation.

Past participants in Magic Me’s initiatives have reported reduced feelings of loneliness, an increased sense of happiness, a positive impact on wellbeing, and feeling more connected to the local community. Children grew in confidence and improved their skills when communicating with older people and volunteers’ confidence in communicating with people with dementia also increased dramatically.

The grant from London Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.

Tham Huynh from Magic Me said:

“We are extremely grateful to London Freemasons for their generous grant which will allow us to continue our vital work and reach more people in East London. The support we give to both older and younger people makes a real difference to the community, and this grant will have a huge impact in helping us bring the generations together.”

Tony Shields, Metropolitan Grand Lodge Charity Steward commented “Loneliness and isolation can affect anyone, so we’re proud to support Magic Me’s valuable work helping the community in Tower Hamlets. This is another example of Freemasons supporting the London community. This donation follows on from a £1,250,000 donation, of a £2.5 million funding pledge from London Freemasons to London Fire Brigade. The funding will provide London Fire Brigade with two extended height aerial vehicles.”