What you helped make possible
What happens when a community shows up for older people with kindness, consistency… and, more importantly, delicious cake?!
Over the past year, the answer has been something rather special.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, thanks to your support, The Link Visiting Scheme and the Friendship Alliance helped more than 1409 older people across Wokingham Borough feel less alone through befriending, welfare calls, digital help, transport, activities and welcoming community spaces.
People told us our volunteers were their lifeline, that our activities were the highlight of the week, and that simply knowing someone would check in made life feel lighter.
We focused strongly on prevention, being there early, before small worries become crises. Through Keeping in Touch calls, Link Online digital support, hundreds of signposts to trusted local services, and nearly 70 warm welcoming Friendship Tables across the borough, we helped people stay independent, connected and reassured.
This year we also launched our Ageing Alone project for those we support with no next of kin or emergency contact where ageing could be significantly more challenging. We have developed a programme of regular check-in calls, proactively getting things in place to ensure smooth transitions and not forgetting celebrating birthdays and being there for special events.
We also made sure there were plenty of reasons to get out, get dressed and have something to look forward to. Throughout the year we held summer and Christmas parties, celebrated Friendship Day, hosted our much‑loved Christmas Day lunch, and ran a host of one‑off outings, talks and activities , including our Link to Nature project, all helping people stay busy, connected and well.
We’re proud of our role in helping make Wokingham a dementia‑friendly place to live. This year we delivered dementia information sessions for volunteers and the wider community, remained active members of the Dementia Partnership, and continued to run our popular Active Minds courses.
At the heart of much of this is our weekly Community Café at All Saints Church, a warm, welcoming space for everyone, including people living with dementia. Alongside good company (and good cake), we bring vital support into a familiar setting through our monthly programme:
Week 1: Dementia Care Advisor
Week 2: Healthwatch
Week 3: Tech Corner (phones, tablets, confidence!)
Week 4: Citizens Advice or Blandy and Blandy Solicitors
We also launched Fit for Life, simple, accessible exercise to help older people stay active and well run by a trained physiotherapist. This sits alongside our ever‑popular Chair Yoga sessions.
None of this happens without volunteers. This year, over 522 volunteers gave their time, care and energy. As one put it: “I don’t see this as volunteering anymore, we’re simply good friends.”
And in September, we were incredibly proud to be named Charity of the Year at the Great British National Business and Community Awards after first winning at the regional awards earlier in the year, a national honour that belongs to everyone who makes this work possible. The judges said that The Link is “A shining example of compassion in action, they represent the very best of the charity sector!”
So , what happens when a community shows up for older people?
Friendships grow. Confidence returns. Loneliness eases. And Wokingham becomes a kinder, more connected place to grow older.
Come and see for yourself! You are warmly invited to celebrate our Friendship Day at All Saints Church in Wokingham (where we host our café) on Thursday July 30th 10am to 1pm. Do pop in. We’ll remind you nearer the time of course.
We’re also delighted to share that we have secured a place in the 2027 TCS London Marathon, one of the world’s most iconic events. Taking place on 25 April 2027, we have one place available where every mile run for #TeamLink will help us continue tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people in our community. If you’re up for this extraordinary challenge, why not join our ballot for the chance to run.
If you’d like to be part of what happens next, by volunteering, popping into our café, donating to our Birthdays Rememberedcampaign, running 26.2miles or simply spreading the word, we’d love to hear from you.
Hope to see you soon,
Marjie Walker
Chief Executive
The Link Visiting Scheme