The charity’s research shows that around half a million older people regularly go a week or more without speaking to anyone. More than 5 million people in Britain are aged 75 or over today. Those aged 80 and over is projected to rise by 64% by 2045. 

Visit reengage.org.uk  

The charity engages with older people in a number of ways. Its tea parties are monthly social groups open to people aged 75 and over and give older people regular afternoons of conversation and laughter with friends of all ages. Call Companions is the charity’s telephone befriending service, where volunteers have weekly calls with the older person they are matched with. And Re-engage’s activity groups, which include tai chi, boules, dancing and skittles, help older people stay active.

All three services are rated highly with 90% of respondents rating their services good or excellent; 84% saying joining Re-engage has had a positive impact on their life and 87% saying Re-engage gives them something to look forward to. Loneliness among the people Re-engage supports has fallen by 55% since they joined the service. 

In 2025/2026, Re-engage supported almost 6,000 older people with the help of over 7,600 volunteers. The charity ran 315 tea party groups, 73 in-person activity groups, 3 online activity groups and 3 flicks and friends cinema groups. In addition, the charity welcomed amother 866 Call Companion volunteers. 

New developments during the year included the East Kilbride pickleball club; a Group Calls pilot, which involved bringing up to ten older people together on a regular call led by a trained volunteer; and Flicks and Friends, a cinema club which can reach c.180 people in one afternoon, expanding into Conwy and Edinburgh. 

In addition to our donation, 5 of our colleagues took part in the Santa Abseil from the Cutty Sark, raising £1,600, which was matched by 3i.