We are over the moon to announce that our wonderful partnership with HARIBO UK is officially entering its second year! Together, we’ve spent the past year creating moments of pure, childlike happiness across West Yorkshire, and that’s us just getting started.
A Year of Magic, Music, and Connection
When HARIBO UK joined forces with The Together Project, we shared one clear, heartfelt goal: combat social isolation and bring generations together through joy. Loneliness affects people at all stages of life, from older adults living in care settings to new parents navigating the sometimes-isolating early months of parenthood.
Thanks to HARIBO UK’s incredible support, we brought our flagship Songs & Smiles intergenerational music and movement programme to HARIBO UK’s home region of West Yorkshire.
Here’s a peek at what we’ve achieved together over the last year:
We launched sessions in six local care homes nominated directly by HARIBO team members who had personal connections to the residents.
Hundreds of babies, toddlers, parents, and older residents came together every week to share music, fun, and warm friendships.
Beyond funding, HARIBO staff threw their heart, soul (and energy!) into the partnership: bouncing through inflatable 5Ks, tackling the York 10K, taking on Whitby bungee jumps, and raising vital funds to keep our groups singing and smiling.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen first-hand the difference Songs & Smiles can make, bringing people of different generations together and creating moments of connection, friendship and childlike happiness across West Yorkshire.” - Phil Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer at HARIBO UK
Songs & Smiles session in full flow
Why This Partnership Hits All the Right Notes
What makes this collaboration so natural is our shared belief in the simple power of play and togetherness. Who understands spark, smiles, and childlike happiness better than the makers of Starmix and Tangfastics?!
HARIBO UK hasn't just provided corporate support; the team has jumped in with two feet (and lots of enthusiasm!) to the employee engagement programme, proving that when purpose-driven organisations collaborate, real community transformation happens. We know this from our community feedback: 97% of care home staff saying Songs & Smiles makes their residents happier, and 97% of parents saying that Songs & Smiles makes them feel more part of the community.
Read more about the impact our our partnership work in the Partnership Report 2025/26
Toddler enjoying Songs & Smiles session with their grown up
What’s Next for Year Two?
Entering Year Two with HARIBO UK allows us to deepen the impact of our work in the West Yorkshire communities where Songs & Smiles has launched in six different homes. As we approach our 10th anniversary in 2027, staying true to our core values of Joy, Togetherness, Trust, and Optimism remains at the heart of everything we do, not just in our sessions, but in how we operate as an organisation. Reaching more people only matters if the connection runs deep, which is why we continue to focus on embedding lasting intergenerational relationships in the communities where we already work.
To everyone at HARIBO UK, our care home teams, and the incredible families and residents who fill every room with music: thank you for growing with us.
Here’s to another year of meaningful connections and celebrating the child in all of us!
Read more about the second year of partnership in the Yorkshire Press.