Community spirit, music, and a creative raffle come together to tackle loneliness
Adopt A Grandparent is proud to share that its role as official charity partner of Dorking Westival 2025 has raised over £7,000 (and rising) to support its mission of alleviating loneliness in older people through intergenerational connection.
Dorking Westival – AAG VolunteersTaking place from 2–4 May 2025, Dorking Westival brought together hundreds of people across four popular local venues – The Spotted Dog, The Star, The King’s Arms, and The Old House – for a weekend of live music, community and fundraising.
As part of its presence at the event, Adopt A Grandparent ran a creative “raffle beer mat” campaign, encouraging festivalgoers to donate while enjoying the festivities. Branded beer mats – doubling as raffle tickets – were handed out across the venues, with generous prizes donated by local businesses.
David Annand, Head of Operations and Fundraising at Adopt A Grandparent, said:
“We’ve been blown away by the warmth, generosity and energy of the local community. Dorking Westival was not only an incredible celebration of music – it was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together with a shared purpose. I’m so grateful to everyone who bought a raffle ticket, volunteered, or supported us in any way over the weekend. Every pound raised will help us reach more older people who may otherwise go days – or even weeks – without a meaningful conversation.”
Prizes ranged from local bar and restaurant vouchers, wine bundles, football match tickets and beauty treatments, to a Samsung screen generously donated by Say So. Highlights included donations from Arto Restaurant, The Dorking Butchery, Cobbetts Micropub, Dorking Wanderers FC, Dorking Brasserie, and Skybound Pole & Aerial Studio, to name just a few. Adopt A Grandparent extends heartfelt thanks to every business and supporter that made the raffle such a success. A big thank you to Station View Garage who sponsor and fund the stage equipment at one of the venues, too.
How the Funds Will Help
Just £250 funds a year of weekly video calls for one lonely older adult – providing consistent companionship and a renewed sense of connection. Thanks to the incredible generosity shown during Westival, dozens more older people will now be supported through regular, one-to-one intergenerational calls.
To volunteer, donate, or partner with us, visit: www.adoptagrandparent.org.uk
Adopt A Grandparent is a registered UK charity (No. 1208584) pairing care home residents with younger volunteers to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing. The charity uses an AI-powered platform to support safe, emotionally aware conversations between generations – ensuring that no older person feels forgotten.
