MORE SONGS, MORE SMILES!
Now in its twelfth year and more commonly known simply as “GOLDIES, our founder is the highly respected Bath-based musician Grenville Jones who recognised how singing and music, brightened the lives and well being of the many people across his choirs. Grenville himself took the first daytime singing and activity sessions in sheltered housing community rooms in and around Bath back in 2007. Grenville is always anxious to point out however that the charity he started, GOLDIES is NOT a choir, but singing the popular memory-evoking hits of the 60s and onwards lies at the heart of all it does. GOLDIES recognises the issues of loneliness amongst the increasing older population. It gives vulnerable people a REASON to get out, to be with others, laugh, sing out, and to make new friends.
An academic study of the impact of 'Goldies' daytime Sing&Smile sessions and community events on the lives of older and isolated people was undertaken in 2018. In its' conclusion "this evaluation concludes that there is a significant increase in positive mood, wellbeing and community spirit through attendance at 'Goldies' sessions. Many participants reported that they lived alone, experienced poor health and needed a reason to socialise. By attending a session 93% of participants claimed that they felt more involved in knowing their community."
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WE LOVE GOLDIES |
Read our latest roundup from many of the folk who
attend our daytime Goldies sessions by clicking HERE. |
WITH 200 DAYTIME SESSIONS ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES WE ARE NOW DEVELOPING OUR WORK WITH OLDER ISOLATED PEOPLE IN EAST LONDONWith wonderful support of The Mercers' Company, the Golden-Oldies Charity are now hoping to work with Age Support Organisations in East London to introduce new daytime Sing&Smile sessions. If you live in that area and you would like to contact us then please email our founder, Grenville Jones - glj@golden-oldies.org.uk
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The charity still only employs one full time staff member and it has seen quite remarkable progress in the past 12 years. It now runs daytime singing and activity sessions at over 150 locations across SW England as well as in Staffordshire, Essex and Yorkshire. There are an increasing number of sessions in South Wales where we are known as Goldies Cymru with a dedicated Wales/England website. There are now 60 dedicated session leaders and those attending are older people who are socially isolated as well as people with learning difficulties and dementia. For many, attending a GOLDIES session is their lifeline. Regular training days are attended by session leaders from across England and Wales as well as Trustees, members of our management board and Goldies supporters.
We are always looking for new session leaders across England and Wales as we extend our work with older isolated people and introduce more daytime Sing&Smile sessions. HERE is a link to an advertisement which will be appearing across Essex and wherever you are reading this, if you would like to know more about being a Goldies session leader, then PLEASE, PLEASE contact our founder Grenville Jones - he would love to hear from you - glj@golden-oldies.org.uk
Winner of 2018 National Lottery Award - Education Category
The Golden-Oldies Charity also has an award-winning primary schools inter-generational programme. For the past four years this has been based on projects linked to WW1 1914-1918. In September 2018 came the announcement that the Goldies Schools Project had won the prestigious National Lottery Awards - 2018, Education Category. Our video below shows the moment that Katherine Jenkins "suprised" the children at Thornhill Primary to announce that Goldies had won the Award. Grenville is pictured with Katherine Jenkins below receiving the Award at the school.
Coming soon our NEW Primary Schools intergenerational project - 'Back to School' WATCH THIS SPACE!
We are always looking for new session leaders across England and Wales as we extend our work with older isolated people and introduce more daytime Sing&Smile sessions. HERE is a link to an advertisement which will be appearing across Essex and wherever you are reading this, if you would like to know more about being a Goldies session leader, then PLEASE, PLEASE contact our founder Grenville Jones - he would love to hear from you - glj@golden-oldies.org.uk
Winner of 2018 National Lottery Award - Education Category
The Golden-Oldies Charity also has an award-winning primary schools inter-generational programme. For the past four years this has been based on projects linked to WW1 1914-1918. In September 2018 came the announcement that the Goldies Schools Project had won the prestigious National Lottery Awards - 2018, Education Category. Our video below shows the moment that Katherine Jenkins "suprised" the children at Thornhill Primary to announce that Goldies had won the Award. Grenville is pictured with Katherine Jenkins below receiving the Award at the school.
Coming soon our NEW Primary Schools intergenerational project - 'Back to School' WATCH THIS SPACE!
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Grenville Jones and the children at Thornhill Primary School are presented with the National Lottery Award for Best Education Category with a suprise visit from Katherine Jenkins on September 13th!
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Sing and Smile with GOLDIES
Our pictures above were taken from recent Goldies events from Bradford, Braintree, Uttoxeter, Swindon, Exeter, Cardiff and illustrate how we are brightening hundreds of lives across England and Wales. Coming soon - news of our next primary schools inter-generational programme. Goldies has exciting plans to develop its work across the UK reaching out to many more isolated lonely older people.
If you feel that you could help us, perhaps as a Session Leader, a Volunteer or through direct financial assistance, we would love to hear from you. Please contact our founder Grenville Jones by email on
grenville@golden-oldies.org.uk or you can telephone our office on 01761 470006 Thank you!
If you feel that you could help us, perhaps as a Session Leader, a Volunteer or through direct financial assistance, we would love to hear from you. Please contact our founder Grenville Jones by email on
grenville@golden-oldies.org.uk or you can telephone our office on 01761 470006 Thank you!
October 2018 - ITV/Lottery Focus on Super Sue!
The Community work of Goldies Cymru session leader Sue Thomas is featured in the above Lottery ITV video, which will be screened during a break in this Saturday's XFactor! If YOU would like to know more about being a Goldies session leader, please email grenville@golden-oldies.org.uk
WHY IS OUR WORK SO IMPORTANT?
12% of older people feel trapped in their own home - 6% of older people leave their house once a week or less - Nearly 200,000 older people in the UK don’t get help to get out of their house or flat - 17% of older people are in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week and 11% are in contact less than once a month - Over half (51%) of all people aged 75 and over live alone - 36% of people aged 65 and over in the UK feel out of touch with the pace of modern life and 9% say they feel cut off from society - Half of all older people (about 5 million) say the television is their main company - These statistics on loneliness and social isolation were taken from a report produced by the Campaign to End Loneliness.
A packed session at our new Hawkwell venue!
Pictured above are Goldies who attended the launches of two new Goldies sessions in Bath and Swindon this month - May.
Golden-Oldies Cheque Presentation at Shirehampton
Meet Noodle the Goldies Labradoodle!
Our Nailsea Goldies enjoyed their recent Easter Bonnet Competition!
Gwen from our Rhydypennau Library Goldies sessions sings 'Calon Lan' with the wonderful Graham who supports Goldies and drops in to visit every now and then.
The Mayor and Mayoress of Bath were special guests at the Carrswood Christmas Party session in December.
Our brilliant session leader, Sue Thomas was featured on an ITV Lottery Film which was launched on Thursday October 25th. Here are some photos from the suprise day!
Our Asbourne Goldies in Derbyshire - October 2018
The Mayor and Mayoress of Uttoxeter were welcome guests at the recent Goldies session.
May 1 - Goldies has teamed up with the Weston Multicultural Friendship Association to create a new singing and friendship group in Weston-Super-Mare.
Ted from the Weston Super Mare session came along to support our stand at the Home Instead event and is seen in the picture dancing with a lovely lady from the British Red Cross.
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MORE GOLDIES NEWS...June 2019 - The new Hawkwell sessions begin with a bit of a crowd (see picture to the left) Fortunately extra books were in the car! Laughter and smiles from day one with anticipation of sessions to come much in evidence.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday May 16th – two new Goldies sessions started in Bath and Swindon. Our pictures show some of the folk who attended the Bath Salvation Army Citadel, Green Park and the 2nd photograph shows the Toothill Community Centre, Swindon, the venue for a new monthly session supported by Swindon Borough Council. For details of all Goldies sessions click HERE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 16 - More Songs – More Smiles
“I don’t know what I would do without Goldies. It keeps me going, it really does." That’s just one of the 100s of comments from one elderly lady who loves attending her Goldies sing-along session. Click HERE to read more. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 2019 - BRISTOL GOLDIES EVENT
The wonderful Evergreen Goldies group performed at the Bristol Goldies event in April 2019. It was a great day of singing, dancing and getting to know all about over 50s activities in Bristol. Organised by the Golden-Oldies Charity thanks to Bristol Ageing Better. You can WATCH HERE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 1 - Goldies recieves support from Masonic Charitable Foundation
Wonderful support from the Masonic Charitable Foundation is helping Goldies to develop in Cornwall and Devon – brand new social daytime Sing&Smile sessions are launching in Cornwall and Devon thanks to funding support from the Masonic Charitable Foundation. Over the last 6 months a fantastic 5 new monthly groups have commenced in Cornwall in partnership with Dementia Cafes and Community Centres, alongside 3 new groups in Devon with many more planned to start over the coming months! Watch this space! Twitter - @Masonic_Charity - Facebook - @themcf ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 1 - Golden Oldies Cheque Presention at Shirehampton
Thanks to the recommendation of Shirehampton Goldies attendee Val Jenkins, we at the office applied for a small grant from the Shire Newspaper and were delighted to receive a donation of £200 to support the ongoing costs of the Shirehampton Goldies session. A wonderful out come! Picture left shows the Shire Newspaper presenting the cheque at the May 1st session. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 1 - Meet Noodle the Goldies Labradoodle!
A very special 10th birthday will be celebrated in Swindon on Thursday May 16. The Golden-Oldies Charity, more fondly known as ‘Goldies’, started in the Town 10 years ago. Venue is Toothill Community Centre, Village Centre, Swindon SN5 8DH from 10.30am-12.00pm. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bristol Goldies Day – 11th April saw a great Goldies event, the Bristol Goldies Day in partnership with Bristol Charities Beehive Centre. The day commenced at 11.00am and ended at 3.00pm, with lots of entertainment and activities taking place that over 100 people got involved with. Many other older people’s organisations attended giving information about other activities in the local neighbourhood, a free lunch was provided to the 50 Goldies participants who attended from other Bristol sessions. We had Thai Chi, Line Dancing and Ballroom Dancing taster sessions, performances from the Evergreens Goldies session and The Strumblebees Ukulele group, followed by a wonderful Goldies BIG SING at the end of the day, see photos left.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 4 - Nailsea Goldies Easter Bonnet Competition
Easter came early for our Nailsea Goldies participants who thoroughly enjoyed their Easter Bonnet competition (see picture left) and lovely Easter treats from our wonderful Nailsea volunteers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 18 - Goldies Cymru goes Bollywood
Starting on Thursday evening April 4 from 6-7pm a new Goldies Cymru session based on Bollywood music and dance will take place at Penylan Library in the community centre. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 28, 2019 - Goldies interview with BBC Radio Cymru
Lovely Gwen from Rhydypennau Library was interviewed by BBC Radio Cymru on Thursday, 28th February. Gwen told the BBC how Goldies has brought her so much joy and comfort since loosing her husband. She had made wonderful new friends and has become one of the best line dancers in the group. With a big smile and lots of laughter Gwen asked to sing 'Calon Lan' with the wonderful Graham who supports Goldies and drops in to visit every now and then. Over 57 Goldies were in the room joining in the singing. What a wonderful day! Just one day short of St David's Day. Dyed Gwyn Dewi Hapus! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 2018
The Mayor and Mayoress of Bath were special guests at the Carrswood Christmas Party session in December. This is a hugely popular monthly session for adults with learning difficulties. Our picture shows the Mayor and Mayoress with session leader, Jeanie, fundraiser Emma and Goldies Chair of Trustees Ian Dewey. (see picture left) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 4th - Odd Down Christmas Party
A lovely Goldies sing-a-long was held at St Philips and St James Church in Odd Down on 4th December. Children from Nightingale Class, St Philips Primary School, joined us for a fun festive morning where we shared Christmas songs, stories a very animated version of the 12 Days of Christmas and the children thoroughly enjoyed teaching everyone how to do The Floss! One of our participants told the children how he had attended St Philips school with his twin brother many years ago, now he’s 91. Teacher Mr Munroe commented ‘Thanks for letting Nightingale Class come and sing with you. We had great fun and the children really enjoyed it. They came back buzzing!’ More Christmas stories coming soon! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 2018 - It's a marvellous time for a party - thanks to Moondance!
Our Goldies Cymru Christmas Parties were in full swing across South Wales. We welcomed a very special guest at the Rhydypennau Library party on Thursday December 13th. The Moondance Foundation is our wonderful supporter of Goldies Cymru and we were delighted that Diane Briere de L'Isle was able to come along to the session. This sequence of pictures and a video for you to enjoy as well illustrates the wonderful time that was had by all. The opening picture shows Diane adorned with her Reindeer Antlers and again, we record our thanks to The Moondance Foundation for all they do to enable to bring Songs&Smiles to so many older people. A recent study of Goldies Cymru worked with older people was undertaken by BSc Psychology student, Katrina Evans. To see the conclusion and full report CLICK HERE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 28 - Christmas Party at Cardiff Castle
Goldies from Rhydypennau Library were invited to Cardiff Castle by Camelot (the operators of the UK National Lottery) for a Christmas Party! The Goldies all dressed up in their bests and were greeted at the Castle with a glass of Prosecco, served by past Lottery Winners! Fantastic food and entertainment made an enjoyable afternoon. We even had the opportunity for dancing (and line-dancing) finished off by a good old sing-a-long on the way home! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 11th - Westminster Abbey WW1 Remembrance Sunday
Pictured (left) are primary school teachers Laura Hurn and Liz Berry who attended the WW1 Commemorative Service at Westminster Abbey on Sunday evening November 11th, with Goldies founder Grenville Jones. The invitation came from the National Lottery, recognising the charities inter-generational WW1 programme across England and Wales with primary schools and older isolated people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 6th - A FANTASTIC GOLDIES DAY OUT
Hundreds of our ‘Goldies’ headed for Port Talbot and the Princess Royal Theatre on Tuesday November 6th for our very special Goldies Day with a WW1 theme. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 1st - Goldies launch Memory Cafe
On Wednesday November 14 in the City of Bath where Goldies first started, a new pilot project will be launched. This will be a Memory Café at St Michael’s Church, in the centre of the city, financially supported by St John’s Hospital and working in partnership with St Michael’s Church and BaNeS Dementia Action Alliance. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 25th 2018 - Our brilliant session leader, Sue Thomas receives a surprise visit!
Our brilliant session leader, Sue Thomas was featured on an ITV Lottery Film which was launched on Thursday October 25th. Here is your chance to have a look at it on You Tube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJkT3m1-LOM&feature=youtu.be. See our photos (left) also taken on the day showing some of the lovely folk who attend Rhydypennau Library who took part in the surprise. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 2018 - A Warm Welcome to Our New Monthly Memory Cafe
Our new Memory Cafe for people living with Dementia and their carers will start on Wednesday November 14th at St Michael's Church, Bath. The session will run on the second Wednesday of each month from 11am - 12.15pm. See our flyer (left) for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, October 16, 2018 - Ashbourne Goldies
Our latest pic of our Goldies in Ashbourne, Derbyshire can be seen right. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, October 11, 2018 - Glenda reports
Glenda Jackson is one of our lovely Goldies in Uttoxeter in Staffordshire. She sent us these happy pictures (see left). Anna Everett is our wonderful session leader in that area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, October 10, 2018 - WW1 event at STEAM
School children from across Swindon plus local choirs attended the Goldies WW1 event at the Steam Museum. The event was also attended by the Mayor of Swindon - "We will remember them!" (see picture left) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, October 8, 2018 - Goldies WW1 event at STEAM
THE STEAM Museum will resound to the well-known tunes of 100 years ago at a WW1 commemoration this Wednesday October 10 opening at 11.00am. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WELSH WW1 EDUCATION PROJECT IN NATIONAL LOTTERY TV PRIZE SURPRISE - Wales based project to receive a £5,000 prize and National Lottery Awards trophy from actor Michael Sheen on BBC One TV programme. The team behind a Welsh project which commemorates the centenary of the end of the First World War will be honoured as the nation’s favourite Education project at this year’s National Lottery Awards show broadcast on BBC One. Click HERE to read more...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Golden-Oldies televised on National Lottery Awards
The 2018 National Lottery Awards will be televised next Wednesday evening, September 26, on BBC1 in a show presented by Ore Oduba. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday September 13, 2018 - GOLDIES WINS AWARD!
Armistice Cantata beat off competition from 700 entries to win £5,000 cash prize and an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy and will have its work celebrated on a special BBC One programme to be broadcast on the 26 September. Welsh singing sensation Katherine Jenkins today (September 12th 2018) surprised Cardiff-based project, Armistice Cantata, with the news that they have won Best Education Project in the National Lottery Awards 2018. Click HERE to read more ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday September 13, 2018 - Celebrate and Commemorate
ON Sunday November 11 this year the nation will commemorate the end of the First World War in 1918. A special event will take place on Monday morning October 1 at Chelmsford Museum bringing together school children and older people at the launch of a unique exhibition. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 2018 - Goldies host East Staffordshire's Mayor and Mayoress
Our Uttoxeter Goldies were pleased to welcome Chris and Jane Smith, the Mayor and Mayoress of East Staffordshire, to join them in one of their singing sessions. "We had an hour of fun and laughter" said Anna Everett, Goldies session leader. Chris and Jane chose some of their favourites and sang along with everyone. Come and join us at the Methodist church community room, Uttoxeter, on the second Monday of each month from 2pm and the last Tuesday beginning at 11 am. No need to worry if you think you can't sing. We sing, smile and laugh. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday July 11 - National Lottery Awards 2018 Cardiff school nominated
Children from a Cardiff primary school are celebrating after being nominated as the only Wales school in the National Lottery Awards 2018 categories, just announced. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday 27th June 2018 - HOLLYWOOD STAR KICKS OFF NATIONAL LOTTERY AWARDS VOTING IN WALES
Film star Michael Sheen has literally got the ball rolling for the super six Welsh projects competing for votes after reaching the finals of the National Lottery Awards – the annual search for the public’s favourite National Lottery-funded projects. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday 21 May 2018 - Cantata Remembers the Fallen
A unique 30 minute production of words and music has been written by primary school children in Cardiff to commemorate the end of World War One. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, May 1, 2018 - Goldies launches in Weston Super Mare
Goldies has teamed up with the Weston Multicultural Friendship Association to create a new singing and friendship group in Weston-Super-Mare. The session was launched last Tuesday 24th April (see picture) with the The Mayor and Mayoress of WSM Cllr Mrs Jos Holder and Cllr Mrs Roz Willis in attendance. The session will run on the FOURTH TUESDAY of each month from 1.30-4.30pm with Goldies session leader, Anne Bunn at Somewhere To Go, 6-8 Boulevard, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1NA (by Global Furniture) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, March 19, 2018 - Masonic Golden support
Keynsham Masonic Hall hosted an informal evening on March 24 with friends and family celebrating the generosity of the Cornucopia Lodge members. With a number of fundraising events and raffles they raised the magnificent sum of £1,000 for the Golden-Oldies Charity and its work with older isolated people. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday February 28, 2018 - Remembering WW1 - 100 Years
As the nation looks back to commemorate the final months of WW1 leading up to November 11 and the Armistice, primary schools across England and Wales are signing up for projects that will link them with older people in their communities. Click HERE to read more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday November 10th - Armistice WW1 Cantata Launch
One hundred years ago on November 10 1917, the third battle of Ypres ended in a small Belgium village called Passchendaele and on Friday morning, November 10 2017 a unique new play commemorating the end of WW1, written by children from Thornhill Primary School, Heol Hir, Cardiff called Armistice Cantata will be premiered at Chapter Art Centre in Canton, Cardiff. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday November 9th - Goldies charity launches new WW1 Schools programme
A charity that started in Bath 10 years ago today (November 9th) launched its new intergenerational programme for primary schools commemorating the final years of the First World War and the Armistice on November 11, 1918. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday, October 23, 2017 - Goldies Cymru Project Leader is all signed up to run the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2018. Just a year to train! Goldies are all on board to support along the way and Cheryl Davies, Project Manager for Goldies Cymru is running too. Click HERE to read more...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, September 21st, 2017 - Golden Oldies were invited to the 'Home Instead' event at Hope Church in Worle on Thursday 21st September. Despite the terrible weather lots of people turned out to support the event. 'Home Instead' is a service that helps to lift up lonely people by providing individual companionship and support, and this service and linked in well with our Goldies ethos. Lots of networking was done with other like minded services. Click HERE to read more...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday 13 September - Goldies launch regular session in Wadebridge
The launch of the monthly ‘Goldies’ fun Sing&Smile sessions at the John Betjeman Centre in Wadebridge attracted over 50 people on Monday (September 11). Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday 29 August 2017 - Golden-Oldies to launch in Cornwall
A charity that reaches out to older isolated people through daytime Songs and Smiles singalongs, called Golden-Oldies launches in Cornwall on Monday 11 September. Click HERE to read more... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Company Number: 6369123 - Charity Registration Number: 1121600