We’ve secured cash to open doors for pensioners’ project

As part of angel.london’s commitment to being London’s most age-friendly town centre we have secured  a donation to make it easier for pensioners to get into a day centre – quite literally!

The once-automatic doors at Claremont Project on White Lion Street are broken and heavy, and pose a significant barrier to older people not strong enough to open them by hand.

Users at the popular centre have raised £1,000 of the £12,000 needed to replace them, so business improvement district angel.london applied to Islington Council for help.

Says Christine Lovett, CEO of angel.london: We’re always looking for ways businesses and organisations can support local charities. Claremont is a lifeline, working hard to bring cheer and good company into pensioners’ lives and we’re delighted to secure this contribution.”

Claremont is the main centre in Islington for older people, receiving over 30,000 visits a year from 8,000 local residents. Activities range from psychotherapy and community arts, to disco dancing, ballet and creative writing. Over 80% of its members live alone.

Says Claremont CEO Lucien-Paul Stanfield: “Accessibility is key for us. The doors are a barrier for existing building users and anyone coming in for the first time. This grant is a boon to the community, especially to older and more frail members, for whom Claremont is tremendously important.”

Claremont is also a hub for other local charities and community groups providing services in the borough, from mental health community services to choirs and kids clubs.

Islington Council’s executive member for economic development, Cllr Asima Shaikh, said: “The Claremont Project plays a key part in our borough’s efforts to tackle social isolation among our older population and boost health and wellbeing. We were more than happy to help contribute to ensure that older Islingtonians can access their services easily.”