2010 is proving to be just as exciting and fruitful. Our focus remains the same: enabling young and older people, often from different faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds, to meet and work together, building a more understanding and stronger community. In financially difficult times, building mutual support and good communication between otherwise competing groups is more important than ever.

In Tower Hamlets regular projects which build on growing relationships between schools and local older people are being funded directly by the schools and other partners as they recognise the lasting value of intergenerational work. New initiatives have been developed in other parts of London including Southwark and Islington. Requests for advice and training continue to increase.

The number of individuals giving to Magic Me is growing. Gifts have ranged from £2 to £25,000. Regular donors are giving £5 to £200 a month and their Gift Aid declarations add value by reclaiming their income tax for Magic Me.

Magic Me supporters who use ‘easyfundraising’ when they shop on-line have raised hundreds of pounds for us, at no added cost to themselves.

We are extremely grateful to all the individuals and organisations who have responded positively. We hope you will join them.

Find out how you can support Magic Me and sign up to sign up to easyfundraising

• New creative projects that build on the successes of the models developed and lessons learned during Our Generations, particularly This is My Life, Pen Friends and The Media Group
• Activities designed to meet the need for purposeful activity and community engagement of older people in care homes, or those becoming isolated in their own homes
• New projects that focus on young people going through times of challenge and change, for example the move from junior to secondary school, or from school to college
• Recruiting and training a group of committed volunteers to support project participants and partners, so that intergenerational relationships continue and flourish, when time-limited arts projects are completed. For example volunteers can support care home residents to visit their young partners in a local school, giving one-to-one support with pushing wheelchairs, which a care home just cannot provide regularly
• Further Continuing Professional Development for Magic Me artists and staff, in recognition of the need to grow and share good practice to maintain quality and be flexible to the changing needs of participants. Our CPD training days for artists cover key topics eg. working with people with dementia, coping with conflict, or designing arts activities that encourage a real exchange of ideas between young and older people
• A new Project Development Manager, to meet growing and broadening demand for new projects in Tower Hamlets and beyond. Our Generations confirmed the level of planning, preparatory work and expertise needed to grow good quality projects with partners
• Building on relationships with Goldsmiths College and Queen Mary, University of London, to grow more understanding of intergenerational practice and theory through further research, teaching and student placements.

  Our plans have already gained much interest and we have secured grants from major funders including the Tudor Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, City Bridge Trust and ExPat Foundation. All are supporting our new programme and development over the next three years.

Fundraising continues to cover other vital parts of our plan, grow many more ideas and put them into practice.

Please support us in this vital work. To be part of growing Magic Me contact on 020 3222 6064.