The second half of you life foundation

Founder of The Second Half Centre and Second Half Clubs

MEDIA

In February 2011, The Second Half of Your Life, a groundbreaking book that inspires women to rethink what it means to grow older was published by Penguin/Random House. Using the hormonal changes that occur around menopause as a springboard to transition from a woman's reproductive years to her self-productive years, it launched Jill into a journey to create The Second Half Foundation. All sales from this book go to fund The Second Half Foundation.

The Second Half Foundation (Reg. 1141988) was created in May 2011 with the mission of tackling loneliness and isolation for any person over the age of 50 years old. We wish to serve anyone affected by isolation from any background. We want to ensure that our growing population will have a place to develop more meaningful connections and continue to learn and grow.

In October 2012, The Second Half Centre opened its doors to the community in the NHS St Charles for Health and Wellbeing in North Kensington, London. The Second Half Centre has over 4000 members, 500 attendees each week and provides 90 hours of classes and workshops weekly and is run by Open Age.

On October 2nd 2016, The Second Half Centre, Diocese of London, Diocese of Middlesex, Open Age, Barclays Digital Eagles, City Harvest and Pret a Manger have piloted a new programme in London that goes to the heart of tackling the devastating effects of isolation in our older population. The Church of England are taking a lead role helping to create new church communities where churches become hubs of the community on days not of worship and promote active ageing.

Second Half Clubs launched in two local Churches in Westminster in November 2016: St Stephens on Rochester Row, SW1P 1LE and St Paul's on 5 Rossmore Road, NW1 6NJ where people can come together as a group to enjoy group activities and give purpose to enrich their lives of their community. Rediscovering the pleasures of old hobbies and finding new ones, excercising, feeling involved through volunteering, mentoring and teaching, making new friends, learning how to use iPads, staying connected to family friends and their community as well as learning new skills will be the mission of Second Half Clubs. Two more have launched in Janaury 2019: St Andrews Church on Greyhound Road and St Mary's The Bolton in Kensington. Our fifth church All Saints Fulham will be launching after Easter 2019.

The Second Half Foundation was created and founded by Lady Jill Shaw Ruddock CBE.

Please click on this link to see The Church of England’s post on Second Half Clubs and the wonderful work being done with our partners The Diocese of London, Open Age, Barclays Bank: Digital Eagles and The Second Half Foundation to help make churches hubs of the community on days not of worship.

The Second Half Foundation in News & Media

  The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988  

The Second Half Foundation has become a leading advocate tackling loneliness and isolation for over 50s in the UK. Read more about our Founder and Chairman, Jill Shaw Ruddock, and the work of The Second Half Foundation and Centre:


What I See meets Jill Shaw Ruddock

What I See, an exploration of what it means to be a woman, recently sat down with our Founder and Chairman, Jill Shaw Ruddock to talk about menopause, loneliness and successful ageing. Click here to watch the video.


The Mayor and Mayoress of RBKC Celebrate the New Partnership of The Second Half Foundation and Open Age

On 20th March 2014, by invitation of the Mayor of RBKC, Cllr Charles Williams, staff, funders, teachers and volunteers of The Second Half Centre joined together in celebrations of our new partnership with Open Age. The Mayor offered congratulations for the amazing achievements and philanthropic work of The Second Half Foundation and to our founder, Jill Shaw Ruddock, Vice Chairman, Michaela Rees Jones, and Treasurer Diane Herlinger.


The Second Half Centre in Libertine Magazine

http://www.thesecondhalfcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/libertine.pdf

Founder & Chairman Jill Shaw Ruddock and Member Erma Simon on Sky News!

Minister of Health, Jeremy Hunt was all over the media discussing ageing and tackling isolation.  In response to his comments the Founder and Chairman of The Second Half Foundation, Jill Shaw Ruddock, along with SHC member Erma Simon, were on Sky News on Boulton and Co. For those of you who didn’t catch it, click here!
  

Second Half Career Art Exhibition & Sale on ITN!

Although we were not named in the footage screened by ITN, some of the beautiful Art work that featured in our Second Half Career Art Exhibition and Sale was shown! Click here!


50+…And I’m Just Getting Started! New SHC Documentary

Tahera Zarrabi is one of our members here at The Second Half Centre, and her daughter, Taira, has made this wonderful film about our Centre. It is a documentary about the issues of isolation amongst the fast growing older population in Britain today. As you all know, this is an issue affecting all of us now and our future, and it is targeting isolation that The Second Half Centre aims achieve. Click here to watch!


The Second Half Centre on Sky News!

See founder Jill Shaw Ruddock and Second Half Centre member Erma Simon discuss The Second Half Centre on Sky News. Click here to watch!   

The Second Half Centre in The Evening Standard

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/jill-shaw-ruddock-the-woman-who-wants-getting-older-to-be-fun-8464903.html


SHC in The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/9814300/Drop-in-for-Zumba-cake-and-company.html


SHC in The Evening Standard

http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/sarah-sands-the-revolution-in-attitudes-to-health-is-here-8461268.html?origin=internalSearch 


The Second Half Foundation in Tatler

SHC in The Lady



The Second Half Foundation in The Hill



SHC Art Exhibition in Kensington & Chelsea Today



The Launch of The Second Half Foundation in the Kensington Magazine


The Opening of the SHC in The Evening Standard

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/a-new-era-for-evergreens-8463245.html?origin=internalSearch 


SHC in The Mature Times

http://www.maturetimes.co.uk/health/wellbeing/7107-an-innovative-approach-to-tackling-loneliness-and-isolation.html

SHC in Health Club Management Magazine

Our Founder, Jill Shaw Ruddock, talks about The Second Half Centre in Health Club Management Magazine. Click here to read!


Classes at SHC in The Evening Standard

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/persian-cooking-and-ipads-for-the-over50s-8225967.html?origin=internalSearch


Article in The Mirror about SHC!

Miriam Stoppard on: Why there’s no reason why the second half of our lives can’t be the best half. Click here to read!

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