We won! Celebrating our double win at the Age Friendly Awards

Written By Jenny Reed

Yesterday was one of those days, the kind that leaves you buzzing with pride, full of new ideas, and a little emotional too (in the best way).

The Together Project won TWO awards at InCommon’s Age Friendly Awards! These awards celebrate the incredible work happening across the UK to connect generations and we’re over the moon to have been recognised!

A display board containing drawings from the award design process. The ideas which were combined into a final design.

Gawthorne Court’s intergenerational team award design process

2 x The acrylic finished design, the outline of two people which create the shape of a heart made out of bright red acrylic.

The finished design presented to all the winners

More than just a place to live

The afternoon began with the Changing Perceptions Talks, held at the brand-new Appleby Blue Almshouse, run by United St Saviour’s Charity.

A photo taken by Phillip Vile taken from the court yard of Appleby Blue looking up to the beautifully designed self-contained flats

Appleby Blue Almshouse
Photo credit: Phillip Vile

It’s a truly visionary development brimming with forward-thinking energy. It was designed by Stirling Prize-winning architects to set a new standard for older people’s social housing.

Every element has been carefully crafted to support independent, active living whether that’s through the welcoming community kitchen, stunning courtyard gardens, or the shared spaces designed to spark connection between residents and the wider community.

It’s more than just a place to live; it’s a model for how housing can celebrate and support ageing, intergenerational living and wellbeing, and gives a real sense of what’s possible when you build with people and connection in mind.

Inspiring speakers

We were treated to a line-up of seriously inspiring speakers:

  • Judith Ish-Horowicz from Apples and Honey Nightingale offered a heartwarming overview of intergenerational practice in action.

  • David Pugsley from Salesforce shared how businesses can champion community connection.

  • Dr Kush Kanodia, a brilliant social entrepreneur, urged us to think deeply about inclusion and accessibility.

  • Betty Mayo from The Advocacy Academy brought powerful activist energy to the conversation.

  • And Sami Gichki, speaking from the Community Ambassador space, reminded us that local voices can drive powerful, lasting change.

Betty Mayo a young woman standing in front of a presentation screen holding a microphone. You can see the back of the audience's heads as the shot is taken from the back of the room. as

Betty Mayo, The Advocacy Academy

4 members of The Together Project team listening to the Changing Perceptions talks, we all look quite serious as we are concentrating!

The Together Project team in deep concentration mode!

Each speaker reflected on how intergenerational practices should be part and parcel of how we build stronger, kinder communities, not just a nice extra.

Then came the awards…

And what a moment that was!

We were thrilled to receive:

  • The Creativity Award – celebrating an intergenerational group whose creativity levels are truly inspiring

  • Best Intergenerational Project for Babies and Toddlers – recognising a group that brings together babies, toddlers and older people in meaningful ways

A group shot of all the winners with the first row kneeling down - lots a very happy faces!

The evening’s winners

Even more touching?

The Creativity Award came thanks to a nomination from Jane Stokes, one of our amazing Songs & Smiles Group Welcomers, who said:

“Songs and Smiles is a wonderful project that brings together older people, babies, toddlers and their parents and carers. Every Tuesday children are plonked on the lap of older people in their community bringing smiles to both old and young alike... To see older people's faces light up when communicating with children is like nothing else. It truly brings the generations together.”

I mean... that got me!

2 x white women both with grey hair smiling at the camera holding one of the awards. Sally on the right wears glasses and is holding the heart shaped award proudly.

Jane Stokes, Songs & Smiles Volunteer and Sally Taylor, Songs & Smiles Group Leader

And what made the recognition even more meaningful is that the judging panel was InCommon’s Intergenerational Social Action Board (a team made up of people of all ages). So this wasn’t just experts talking about intergenerational practice, it was lived experience recognising lived experience.

They were particularly impressed by:

“The breadth of your reach and the creative way in which you've engaged multiple generations.”

Why It Matters

A2 white women and one mixed race woman all smiling, holding the 2 awards. Jenny wears a leopard print two piece with a mohawk haircut, Sarah has long blonde hair wearing a black dress, Nadja is in a green dress and has a black bob length hair

Jenny Reed, Sarah Jordan & Nadja Ranes from The Together Project

We don’t do this work for awards but moments like this remind us we’re on the right path.

They celebrate the joy and connection that blossom when generations share space and truly connect.

They affirm what we see every week at Songs & Smiles: this kind of togetherness is powerful. And it matters.

A big, joyful thank you

To InCommon, to all our volunteers and leaders, our care home teams, our wonderful residents, our funders and every single Songs & Smiles attendee: thank you!

These awards are for you. For every cuddle, every egg shake and peek-a-boo, every laugh and every connection that keeps growing long after the session ends.

Here’s to more creativity. More ‘babies on laps’. More music. More smiles. And more joyful intergenerational moments that remind us what community really looks like.

Jenny Reed
Previous

Why telling our story matters

Next

Supporting healthy ageing and care home communities