"Coming to Tower House is the best day of the week"

For Tower House Brighton, putting relationships and partnership at the heart of all they do has helped them to transform and grow the support they offer the local community.

For the past eight years, Tower House Brighton has been working to provide a warm welcoming space working to support anyone in the local community, but specialising in support for those aged over 50. They are passionate about supporting people as they go on the journey of ageing.

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Following the challenges of Covid, Tower House took time to reflect and rethink its programme and strategy. This culminated in a new, partnership-driven and neighbourhood and inclusion-centred programme of work. Launched 18 months ago, the work has grown through local partnerships and word-of mouth. If you go to Tower House today, you’ll find a community cafe, charity shop and a calendar packed full of activities.

In the UK, pensioners are increasingly being forced to scrimp and save as inflation and the cost of living put pressure on their fixed income. In this context, Tower House steps in to meet the practical needs of the community. Each week the centre does this through health clinics, exercise classes, peer support groups, an excess food banks and a £1 or under charity shop. Tower House works hand in glove with local partners, such as AGE UK, and works to sign post people to the other support offered in the Brighton area.

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In addition to supporting people to meet their physical and health needs, Tower House is passionate about providing opportunities for social connection. The UK is facing a growing loneliness epidemic and AGE UK research suggests that 1 million older people in the UK feel lonely. For so many of the staff and volunteers, getting to know regular guests and seeing people come out of their shells, grow in confidence and build friendships that extend beyond Tower House, is the most rewarding part of all that they do.

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Whilst people in the UK are left alone to face deepening social isolation and an ongoing cost of living crisis, the existence of community spaces like Tower House ensures that no one in their local area needs to be left alone. For the Tower House team, the growth they’ve seen in the past two years is just the beginning and they’re ready to continue to learn and grow to reach more people in their area.

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