Hello again to all neighbours online, offline and somewhere inbetween!

The Haringey Neighbourhoods Connect project is now officially underway and I hope that some of you will get involved. It's a really innovative pilot project which aims to reach out to older people in the community who perhaps arent receiving much in terms of company or thehelp they are entitled to through social services and other bodies, and perhaps dont know about really great organisations such as Age Concern (renaming process Age UK underway.)

We aim to bring older people into more contact with their neighbours and communities not only to support and assist them but also to enable them to do more and to contribute their wealth of skills and experience. This might be done online by assisting them to get connected online and join in social networking sites. Did you know that the fastest growing group of users of social networking sites is now the over 55s? Many are hooked up already but more could be done perhaps through the help of friendly neighbours, family, carers- both informal and formal and volunteers.

We are really fortunate that Bounds Green/Bowes Park is one of the selected areas of focus for this project- the other is Harringay a bit further down Green Lanes! I am also fortunate to be the community development worker for this project.

I have already met some interested people in Harringay at the two public meetings we organised recently on neighbourliness in the area. Now I'd like to meet some more of you in Bounds and Bowes, whether you just vaguely interested at the moment or keen to get involved.

You can find out more information from me initially through contacting me through this website or getting in touch with me at Age Concern Haringey
ruth.cherrington@acharingey.org.uk

The project in funded by Haringey Council Adult Care Services in partnership with Age Concern Haringey and Networke Neighbourhoods.

look forward to hearing from you and making this project a success. It's winter time, dark early and cold- think about those who would love a bit of company and a bit of help, and who could benefit from our support.
regards
Ruth