We’re really excited to be bringing back Songs & Smiles. It will be a gradual return, starting with a handful of summer specials in August. We’re putting new safety protocols in place, so things will feel a bit different. But you can be sure of bags of music, fun and friendship, just like before.

We were delighted to contribute to a vital report released this month about the importance of creating a ‘country for all ages’ in the new decade, as well as welcoming Sky News to Songs & Smiles for a feature on its release. Compiled by influential think tank United for All Ages the Together In The 2020s report highlights how we must tackle ageism, loneliness, health, care, learning and housing to help unite Great Britain.

Every day, we see first hand the enormous impact music has on the wellbeing of our Songs & Smiles participants. So, we’re delighted to be supporting BBC Music Day on Thursday 26 September. It tops off an exciting month for The Together Project as we’ve launched new Songs & Smiles sessions in Bow, Leytonstone and Brighton. We now run weekly sessions in 16 locations, including in our first sheltered housing accommodation.

The benefits of Songs & Smiles go way beyond the hour-long session. Here, we shine a spotlight on some of the important – and often unseen – ways in which your visit with your child will impact people’s lives.

Moving to the non-profit sector is simultaneously one of the most rewarding, frustrating, empowering and challenging things I’ve ever done. The benefits are immense – our time and energy are directed towards activities that make a tangible, positive impact on people’s lives, which gives an incredible sense of purpose. But it’s no secret that, in these times of austerity, funding to help ventures such as ours can be incredibly hard to come by.

We receive many wonderful messages of support about our work from across the globe, so I wanted to give you a list of easy actions you could take that would make a real difference to us.

When the benefits of intergenerational activities are discussed, the emphasis is often placed on outcomes for the older participants. But at Songs & Smiles we know that all three generations involved gain a huge amount – children, their parents/guardians and the care home residents.

We collected impact statements from some of the parents and guardians who attend our groups to learn more about what they feel these benefits are, for themselves and for their little ones. We were delighted to see that they are numerous, profound and – in some cases – life-changing.

Evaluating the impact on care home residents at risk of social isolation and those living with dementia

At The Together Project. we receive lots of lovely messages from people across the country who are interested in taking their little one into a care home. And with the new series of Channel 4’s Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds on our screens, interest is at an all-time high!

If you’re thinking of starting your own toddler care home group, we’ve got some tips to help you out…

Karolina, Activities Coordinator at Ross Wyld Care Home, and residents Jim and Sheila, talk about the impact that Songs & Smiles has had on the home.

The Together Project believes passionately in the benefits of introducing children to concepts such as ageing, disability and conditions like dementia from a young age. It helps to reduce stigma and fear whilst building understanding and empathy.

So we're big supporters of the Ally Bally Bee Project, an incredibly useful resource for families wanting to explain a loved one's dementia to a young child. We caught up with the team to share the wonderful work they're doing...