Our vision is a society in which vulnerable and older people feel connected with and supported by their community
Vision
Almost eighty years of company in East London
THFN began in 1947 as the Stepney Old People’s Welfare Association, set up to support older residents in a borough still recovering from the war. We were early pioneers of Meals on Wheels in East London. As Stepney became part of the wider London Borough of Tower Hamlets and our work spread across it, we changed our name to reflect that. In 2003 we became a charitable company. In April 2026 we completed our conversion to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), modernising our governance for the next chapter.
What has not changed is the work itself. We visit older people. We listen. We help where we can. We have been doing it for nearly eighty years.
What we believe
We believe nobody should grow old alone, and that the people we support are the experts on their own lives. Everything we do is shaped by them — what they tell us they need, what they tell us they want, and how they tell us they want it delivered.
We believe befriending matters because loneliness kills. The research on this is clear: chronic loneliness in older age carries health risks comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Tower Hamlets ranks first of all 326 English local authorities for predicted loneliness among people aged 65 and over. A regular visitor is not a small thing.
Our vision and mission
Our vision is a Tower Hamlets where every older person thrives through meaningful connections, dignity and active participation in their community.
Our mission is to provide comprehensive befriending, advocacy and support services to isolated older people in Tower Hamlets, with a particular focus on those who are housebound or facing chronic health challenges.
Strategic priorities 2025–2028
Our three-year strategic business plan runs from April 2025 to March 2028 — the year THFN turns 80. Our strategic priorities are:
- Service delivery: implement a place-based befriending model across the borough, develop specialist support for men and for Bangladeshi and Somali communities, and achieve quality mark accreditation with Befriending Networks.
- Financial sustainability: diversify income through individual giving, digital fundraising, community fundraising and corporate partnerships, and build reserves for organisational resilience.
- People and governance: grow our volunteer base, ensure at least 30% of trustees have lived experience, and maintain Living Wage accreditation.
- Voice and influence: make sure older Tower Hamlets residents are heard in local decision-making, in line with the Mayor of London’s Age Friendly London framework.
Who we are
We are a small, independent charity based at St Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green. We have a small staff team — Chief Executive, four Advocacy and Befriending and Volunteer Coordinators and an administrator. Many of our staff and volunteers have been with us for years, some for decades, which means the people we visit see familiar faces over time.
Our team speaks Bengali, Sylheti, Hindi and other languages spoken across Tower Hamlets. Every member of staff and every volunteer holds an enhanced DBS check and receives ongoing training.
How we are funded
In the year ended 30 June 2025 our total income was £189,606. We are funded by a mixture of charitable trusts, individual donors (including some of the people we visit), and contributions from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. A full list of funders is published in our annual report each year.
Accreditations and memberships
- Living Wage Employer (accredited 2024)
- Fundraising Regulator member
- Befriending Networks member
- Tower Hamlets Covid Community Champions award
- All staff are Dementia Friends Champions
- Reporting up to date with the Charity Commission