Our CEO, Hannah Kayi Mason, reflects on an exciting month at InCommon.
As we transition into July, I find myself looking back on what has been an extraordinary month for our team at InCommon. June has been filled with meaningful connections, valuable partnerships, and inspiring moments that reinforce why our work in fostering intergenerational relationships matters so deeply.
This month began with my participation in the Early Childhood Funders Network Meeting at the Education Endowment Foundation, where we explored the evolving role of AI in education. These conversations about innovation and learning reminded me that while technology advances, the fundamental human need for connection and community remains constant—something that sits at the heart of everything we do at InCommon.
I was particularly honoured to speak at the Tackling Loneliness Hub event hosted by Neighbourly Lab, thanks to an invitation from our board member Sarah Mitton. The opportunity to share InCommon's approach and facilitate an interactive workshop on fostering meaningful relationships across generations in housing communities was insightful and energising. Housing Associations are uniquely positioned to create connected communities and combat social isolation, and this gathering of industry leaders, housing experts, and community representatives provided valuable insights into what truly works in tackling loneliness through thoughtful housing initiatives.
Alongside our Programme Manager Rosie Shambrook, I attended the Creating Intergenerational Communities Celebration event, a collaborative effort between Apples and Honey Nightingale CIC Nightingale, Generations Working Together, and Linking Generations Northern Ireland. This online celebration showcased the transformative impact of high-quality intergenerational programs that create lasting relationships across age groups. Celebrating the collective achievements across the sector reinforced our belief in the power of bringing generations together.
One of the highlights of the month was taking one of our intergenerational groups to visit an exhibition we're proud to be part of at Science Gallery London "Lifelines: Rethinking Ageing Across Generations". It is a compelling free exhibition that explores intergenerational solidarity and reframes aging as a lifelong journey. Our collaboration with The Sciences of Ageing and the Culture of Youth (SAACY) team King's College London on this project has been incredibly rewarding. If you're in London Bridge, I encourage you to visit before it closes on August 2nd.
While we typically focus on daytime programming, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to experience an evening at Hackney Herbal, where social enterprise Mike's Table, founded by the wonderful Louise Holstein, hosted a supper club. Their approach to creating seasonal, sustainable menus using perfectly good surplus food, crafted by talented chefs, left us so impressed. We're excited to be planning an intergenerational supper collaboration with them this autumn.
The team hosted our Intergenerational Panel meeting this month, setting a special atmosphere as they moved outdoors to one of our school gardens. They also took another group on a guided walking tour of Greenwich led by one of our older neighbours, who shared fascinating local history with the children. We have enjoyed a month of hands-on workshops including flower making, cake baking, and social action planning activities that create simple, shared experiences that can forge meaningful bonds between generations.
The month concluded with an incredible honour: winning Team of the Year at the #HousingHeroesAwards and Housing 2025 Conference. The judges' feedback "Good examples of positive outcomes achieved. This team is making a real and meaningful impact in the community they serve” brought immense joy to our entire team and board. For a charity that's only a few years old, receiving recognition from the housing sector feels deeply affirming. It validates that our social impact and the connections we facilitate between older and younger neighbours are making a real difference.
In our nomination we said “Working together, our team have created thoughtfully designed spaces that foster meaningful interaction and communication between generations, where everyone has the opportunity to flourish." June has been testament to this.
As we move into July, our team will be hosting end-of-year celebrations across our schemes, wrapping up a year filled with delight, learning, and friendship-making. These moments of reflection and celebration remind me of the incredible network of people who make our work possible.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joins us on this journey: our dedicated scheme managers, passionate teachers, supportive heads of schools, generous funders, committed volunteers, and most importantly, the children and older neighbours who make our time together so life-affirming and joyful.
What examples of intergenerational connection have inspired you recently? I'd love to hear about initiatives in your community, or things in your lives that are bringing people together across age groups. Share them with us at hello@incommon.org.uk
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