Yesterday, on the United Nations International Day of Happiness, HARIBO UK and The Together Project announced an exciting new partnership aimed at spreading joy and tackling loneliness in West Yorkshire. The collaboration will bring the charity’s popular Songs & Smiles sessions to the region for the first time, providing moments of happiness to local care homes and communities.
The Songs & Smiles programme is designed to combat loneliness by connecting older people, new parents, and their children through song and play. In these sessions, participants form new friendships, lifting spirits and building stronger community bonds. Previous sessions across the UK have seen incredible results, with 100% of care homes reporting an increase in joy among residents, and 73% of parents feeling less isolated.
West Yorkshire, which has a higher-than-average rate of loneliness among adults, is the perfect location for this initiative. Recent data reveals that 8.3% of adults in the region frequently feel lonely, compared to the national average of 7%. By partnering with The Together Project, HARIBO UK aims to make a real difference, bringing people together and spreading childlike happiness.
“We’ve always believed that whether you’re young or young at heart, everyone should enjoy moments of childlike happiness,” said Jon Hughes, Managing Director of HARIBO UK & Ireland. “This partnership is a proud moment for us, and we’re excited to support an initiative that focuses on combating loneliness in our local community. West Yorkshire has been our home for over 50 years, so it’s really special for us to bring Songs & Smiles to the area.”
The partnership also invites HARIBO UK colleagues to get involved by nominating care homes with which they have a personal connection. This will ensure the programme reaches those who can benefit most.
Louise Goulden, Founder and CEO of The Together Project, highlighted the significance of the partnership. “In today’s challenging fundraising landscape, financial support like this from HARIBO UK is crucial for small charities. This partnership will help us reduce loneliness in West Yorkshire, and we’re excited to bring people of all ages together to create moments of happiness.”
Looking ahead, The Together Project plans to expand the Songs & Smiles programme even further in 2025, aiming for over 2,200 sessions and reaching more than 5,500 people across West Yorkshire.
With this partnership, HARIBO UK and The Together Project are set to make a lasting impact, ensuring that happiness is shared across generations and communities in the region.
