Ageing Allies
Cambridgeshire is full of charities, organisations and businesses going above and beyond to do incredible work for older people.
Read on for the best of the best, as voted by Cambridgeshire’s local community!
Ageing Allies
Cambridgeshire is full of charities, organisations and businesses going above and beyond to do incredible work for older people.
Read on for the best of the best, as voted by Cambridgeshire’s local community!
What makes an Ageing Ally?
With Ageing Allies, Age Space wants to shine the spotlight on everyone that is doing incredible work across the county for the older population of Cambridgeshire.
We handed the reigns over to Cambridgeshire’s local community in 2023 to find out who the best charities, organisations and businesses are that are supporting older people in the county.
What came back was an eclectic mix of different services; from care homes and hospices, to dementia friendly exercise groups and elderly lunch clubs, all working to the common goal of improving the lives of Cambridgeshire’s older population. Over 500 votes later and we’d found Cambridgeshire’s Ageing Allies.
What makes an Ageing Ally?
With Ageing Allies, Age Space wants to shine the spotlight on everyone that is doing incredible work across the county for the older population of Cambridgeshire.
We handed the reigns over to Cambridgeshire’s local community in 2023 to find out who the best charities, organisations and businesses are that are supporting older people in the county.
What came back was an eclectic mix of different services; from care homes and hospices, to dementia friendly exercise groups and elderly lunch clubs, all working to the common goal of improving the lives of Cambridgeshire’s older population. Over 500 votes later and we’d found Cambridgeshire’s Ageing Allies.
Meet the Ageing Allies
After we received such an incredible response to Ageing Allies from Cambridgeshire’s local community, we decided to offer out two different tiers to our nominees: Gold Ageing Ally and Silver Ageing Ally.
The Gold winners are those who received an overwhelming amount of support, but the Silver award is definitely not something to sniff at! Read on to find out all about some of the most highly regarded charities, organisations and businesses in Cambridgeshire.
Love to Move
The British Gymnastics Foundation’s Love to Move is a seated gymnastics programme that is age and dementia friendly. Sessions are specially designed to get older people moving, by integrating gymnastic foundation skills, cognitive stimulation therapy and social interaction activities. They are also designed to be accessible and beneficial to those suffering from dementia. Above all, the programme is fun and offers older people across Cambridgeshire the opportunity to be active and social each week.
Love to Move
The British Gymnastics Foundation’s Love to Move is a seated gymnastics programme that is age and dementia friendly. Sessions are specially designed to get older people moving, by integrating gymnastic foundation skills, cognitive stimulation therapy and social interaction activities. They are also designed to be accessible and beneficial to those suffering from dementia. Above all, the programme is fun and offers older people across Cambridgeshire the opportunity to be active and social each week.
St. Ives Day Care Centre
The St Ives Day Care Centre offers an enriching and social experience for older people in the community. Open five days a week, from 9:00am – 3:00pm, the Centre provides a cooked lunch, the opportunity for hairdressing, varied afternoon entertainment and even occasional days out. They also provide transport to and from the venue to make the day as stress free as possible for their guests.
St. Ives Day Care Centre
The St Ives Day Care Centre offers an enriching and social experience for older people in the community. Open five days a week, from 9:00am – 3:00pm, the Centre provides a cooked lunch, the opportunity for hairdressing, varied afternoon entertainment and even occasional days out. They also provide transport to and from the venue to make the day as stress free as possible for their guests.
Forever Active
Forever Active provide exercise and activity sessions to the over 50 age groups within Cambridgeshire, ranging from chair based exercise and beginners yoga, to T’ai Chi and exercise to music. Many of these groups have been specially suited to those with mobility problems, thanks to the passionate and dedicate team of volunteers across Cambridgeshire.
Forever Active
Forever Active provide exercise and activity sessions to the over 50 age groups within Cambridgeshire, ranging from chair based exercise and beginners yoga, to T’ai Chi and exercise to music. Many of these groups have been specially suited to those with mobility problems, thanks to the passionate and dedicate team of volunteers across Cambridgeshire.
Ferrars Hall Care Home & Dementia Café
Ferrars Hall Care Home in Huntingdon specialises in taking care of those suffering from dementia in a kind, compassionate and dignified environment. The purpose-built home is luxurious and beautifully furnished, whilst retaining a warm, homey feel. Ferrars Hall also runs a Dementia Café, so that anyone living with dementia can attend and enjoy meeting with others over a cup of tea and slice of cake.
Ferrars Hall Care Home & Dementia Café
Ferrars Hall Care Home in Huntingdon specialises in taking care of those suffering from dementia in a kind, compassionate and dignified environment. The purpose-built home is luxurious and beautifully furnished, whilst retaining a warm, homey feel. Ferrars Hall also runs a Dementia Café, so that anyone living with dementia can attend and enjoy meeting with others over a cup of tea and slice of cake.
Arthur Rank Hospice
The Arthur Rank Hospice was founded in 1981 and has been dedicated to supporting Cambridgeshire residents who suffer from a life-limiting condition, or those in need of end-of life care ever since. The Hospice offers a 23-bed inpatient unit, specialist care and therapy, family support and a hospice at home service, all run by their fantastic team of compassionate colleagues and volunteers, known as Team Arthur.
Arthur Rank Hospice
The Arthur Rank Hospice was founded in 1981 and has been dedicated to supporting Cambridgeshire residents who suffer from a life-limiting condition, or those in need of end-of life care ever since. The Hospice offers a 23-bed inpatient unit, specialist care and therapy, family support and a hospice at home service, all run by their fantastic team of compassionate colleagues and volunteers, known as Team Arthur.
St. Pauls Church & Community Centre Lunch Club
Every Friday, St. Pauls Church & Community Centre in Cambridge runs a lunch club that is primarily aimed at those aged 60+. Offering a two-course, freshly prepared meal in a welcoming atmosphere, the lunch club creates an opportunity for older members of the community to enjoy socialising with good food. There is no need to book in advance!
St. Pauls Church & Community Centre Lunch Club
Every Friday, St. Pauls Church & Community Centre in Cambridge runs a lunch club that is primarily aimed at those aged 60+. Offering a two-course, freshly prepared meal in a welcoming atmosphere, the lunch club creates an opportunity for older members of the community to enjoy socialising with good food. There is no need to book in advance!
Field Lodge Care Home
Field Lodge Care Home in St. Ives is specially designed to help those living with dementia to feel at home and feel independent. The home has been carefully shaped by the interests of its residents to include a tuck shop, a cinema, a hair salon and nail bar, as well as a contemporary coffee shop! They also have themed areas for residents to spend time in, including an indoor garden area, a music room and a magic table for residents living with dementia.
Field Lodge Care Home
Field Lodge Care Home in St. Ives is specially designed to help those living with dementia to feel at home and feel independent. The home has been carefully shaped by the interests of its residents to include a tuck shop, a cinema, a hair salon and nail bar, as well as a contemporary coffee shop! They also have themed areas for residents to spend time in, including an indoor garden area, a music room and a magic table for residents living with dementia.
Fen Mobility
Fen Mobility is an Ely based store for mobility-centred products, ranging from wheelchairs and mobility scooters, to stair lifts and other major and minor home installations. Their experienced shop staff are always on hand to provide advice on their wide range of products, as well as mobility-needs-assessments to ensure that customers receive get exactly what they need at a fair price.
Fen Mobility
Fen Mobility is an Ely based store for mobility-centred products, ranging from wheelchairs and mobility scooters, to stair lifts and other major and minor home installations. Their experienced shop staff are always on hand to provide advice on their wide range of products, as well as mobility-needs-assessments to ensure that customers receive get exactly what they need at a fair price.
Care Services
Our Care Services category is one for anyone doing incredible work to make sure our older relatives are looked after in or out of their home. Read on for more on our Silver Ageing Allies in Cambridgeshire…
Caring Together Cambridgeshire
Caring Together is a leading charity supporting carers of all ages across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk. Their vision is a world with no unpaid carer in crisis, isolated or struggling alone, so offer advice and support services to help make caring roles more manageable.
Over Day Centre
The Over Day Centre was opened in 1989 to act as a meeting place for older residents in Over and its’ surrounding villages. It has evolved into a purpose-built care facility with qualified staff to provide a safe and friendly environment for older people from all over South Cambridgeshire to enjoy.
St. Neots Voluntary Welfare Association
St. Neots Voluntary Welfare Association is a registered charity that has served the community of older people in the town and its’ surrounding villages for over 40 years. The dedicated staff, committee members and trustees run a Day Centre and Lunch Club in St. Neots Town Centre.
The Home Help Company
The Home Help Company offer bespoke home help packages for senior citizens in Cambridgeshire. They provide a wide range of domestic services, from cleaning, meal preparation, transport and grocery shopping to companionship and senior sitting services.
Community Services & Clubs
Our Community Services & Clubs category aims to shine the spotlight on the best local clubs and services in the community that help older residents to enjoy a healthy, social and independent life across Cambridgeshire. Read on for more on our Silver Ageing Allies in Cambridgeshire…
Age UK Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Friendship Groups
Age UK’s Friendship Clubs in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough offer an opportunity for older people to socialise, enjoy activities or entertainment and have a meal. Most of these clubs meet weekly.
Care Network Cambridgeshire
Care Network Cambridgeshire provide services that empower people to access the care and support that they need to live independent lives in their own home and to make the most of interactions within their communities. Their support is available to people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Driving Miss Daisy
Driving Miss Daisy are a companion & driving service, working with clients from all walks of life across the UK and helping them to get out of the house for appointments, shopping trips or social events. The service has a local base in Newmarket that also serves Cambridgeshire.
Pos+Ability
The Voluntary Network Dial-a-Ride Service
The Voluntary Network’s Dial-a-Ride Service is an affordable and accessible door-to-door service for those who find it difficult to use public transport. This enables passengers to access local services, attend medical appointments and enjoy social activities.
VCAEC East Cambridgeshire Social Car Scheme
The VCAEC offer the Social Car Scheme to provide door-to-door transport to people who are frail, elderly, disabled or isolated. They will help to facilitate any journey that would otherwise be difficult, but priority is given to medical appointments.
Dementia Services
Our Dementia Services category takes a look at Cambridgeshire’s provision of help dedicated to those suffering from Dementia. Read on for more on our Silver Ageing Allies in Cambridgeshire.
Arts & Minds
Arts & Minds was established in 2008 to provide a broad range of arts-based programmes that are designed to support the positive mental health of communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. They have a number of accessible activities, including pottery and singing.
Arts Picturehouse Cambridge
The Arts Picturehouse in Cambridge runs Dementia Friendly screenings of classic films to provide an opportunity for those suffering with dementia to enjoy an outing to the cinema. Tickets start from £4.30 per person, with free tickets available for accompanying carers.
The Bobby Scheme
The Bobby Scheme was set up by the Cambridgeshire Police Trust to help the most elderly and vulnerable members of their communities to feel safer at home by improving home security. The service includes fitting door chains or alarms and advising on other security features. It is free to use for those over 60 years old who have been victims of burglary.
Dementia Compass
Dementia Compass is a social venture with over a decade of experience supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementia and their families. They build and provide resources that reduce the impact of dementia and help people stay connected with who and what matters.
Memory Lane Singing Café, St. Ives
Norris Museum Reminiscence
The Norris Museum in St. Ives provide reminiscence sessions by visiting care homes, day centres and social clubs and using objects or photographs from the past to prompt long term memory, stimulate conversation and empower older people to share their own stories.
Riverport Singers: Dementia Friendly Choir
Riverport Singers is a dementia friendly community choir based in St. Ives. The choir is an opportunity for older people and those suffering from dementia to express themselves, whilst enjoying a social activity. They also take part in fundraising events for charities such as Alzheimer’s Research UK.
St. Ives Dementia Friendly Community Group
St. Ives Dementia Friendly Community Group is an online space for people to discover opportunities and events going on in the local community that are dementia friendly. Their aim is to help St. Ives become a town where people affected by dementia are understood, supported and respected.
More Great Ageing Allies
Care Services
Community Services & Clubs
- Age UK Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Telephone Befriending Service
- Cambridge Stroke Group
- Cambridgeshire Older People's Enterprise
- CAMMS Meals on Wheels
- Cam Sight
- Chatteris Community Car Scheme
- Green End Day Club
- Huntingdonshire Aphasia Support
- Huntingdonshire Volunteer Centre
- Hunts Shopmobility
- Little Thetford Community Hub
- LuvEly 60+ Social Clubs
- Move It or Lose It (Cambridge, Ely & Peterborough)
Dementia Services
Age Space Local: Cambridgeshire
Throughout Age Space’s local hubs, we aim to shine the spotlight on some of the best work being done across the represented counties in aid of elderly people.
Our Cambridgeshire Local Hub is no different, helping you to find out all about the different care providers, accessible leisure activities, exercise opportunities and so much more in the county.
Follow the link below to visit our Cambridgeshire local hub and find out about all of the incredible services, initiatives and opportunities for older people across the county.
