Friendships provide joy in the moment, a listening ear, a warm and knowing smile, familiar embrace, confidantes and shared connections.
Friends come and go throughout life, some for a reason and some for a season.
Fluctuating circumstances bring changes to lives, including loneliness.
Making and sustaining friendships can become more challenging with age, diminishing opportunities to meet people, through lifestyle choices, common interests, or family connections.
Adrianna and Marigold co-founded the social connections program, Uniity. They understand the importance of friendships, especially as people get older. They aim to bring people together around shared activities such as walking, reading, creating, cooking or coffee and chats, for meaningful connections.
“We want to provide fun in the moment, with creative activities bringing joy, and providing the perfect catalyst for people to meet, and possibly form a connection,” says Adrianna.
Each activity has an emphasis on the ‘and talk’ component, (for example, Walk & Talk, Cook & Talk, Create & Talk), sometimes the activity itself is a by-product of meeting new people, striking up a conversation, and connecting.
Uniity came to be from a strong longing and emotional connection to foster deeper relationships in both Adrianna and Marigold.
Marigold, initially from Ireland, developed a lifelong friendship with an older woman in her neighbourhood, who provided comfort and support for her and her then-young children.
Adrianna felt an emotional emptiness, when she lost her grandma the week prior to her son’s birth. With this relationship missing in her life, she wanted to connect people, especially across generations.
“Having friends of different ages enriches lives. It expands perspectives and increases the range of available emotional and practical support,” said Marigold.
Initially operating out of West Croydon and surrounds, Uniity is now also hosting activities in Clarence Park, Unley and surrounds, having received a Positive Ageing Fellowship Grant, from Office for Ageing Well.
Uniity offers volunteering opportunities, with interests and skillsets matched to meaningful roles.
All Uniity activities are free of charge and welcome everyone.
Facebook: #uniityfriendships