A new report shows how the Hallmark Foundation’s growing work is influencing ‘bold action for better ageing’ with its fundees, policymakers, researchers, practitioners and people of all ages.

The report highlights the charitable foundation’s grant-making for pioneering projects that aim to create a society where everyone looks forward to ageing well. These include the ILC-UK’s pioneering Better Lives Index, the Centre for Social Justice’s Midlife Commission, and the Open University’s and the Campaign for Learning’s toolkit for employers to support workers to prepare for a better later life.

Many other funded projects aim to improve care for older people and bring together all generations to age well together through good health and wellbeing, connection and care.

Since 2021 the Hallmark Foundation has made grants of almost £1.5 million and the foundation estimates that every £1 given generates an additional £5 for the fundees and their beneficiaries.

Bold Action for Better Ageing – Hallmark Foundation impact report 2026 can be downloaded here.

Have you ever wondered what the Hallmark Foundation funds and how it works to influence the future of ageing well and improving care?

A new video with Hallmark Foundation trustees and beneficiaries features some of the research, policy and practical projects that the charity has funded recently.

These range from research with Queen Mary University of London helping older people with dementia move into residential care to the Who Cares Wins! initiative with Championing Social Care encouraging young people to explore careers in care. The video looks at how the foundation promotes ageing well across the life course with intergenerational projects, pioneering research and policy influencing.

To find out more, watch here

Several new grants by the Hallmark Foundation are supporting projects that will improve the quality of life of older people living in residential care. They will improve hearing and communication in care homes, promote intergenerational interaction between young and older people, and increase access to the latest in music and movement technology.

The projects include funding for the following organisations:

• Good Gym: younger volunteers running to and from care homes and building relationships with older residents to promote connection and wellbeing
• NAPA: developing a national framework of standards for intergenerational activities in care homes
• DanceSing: taking their digital music and movement programmes to care homes serving older people on lower incomes
• Symphony Sound and Ready Generations: implementing measures to help older people with hearing impairments in care settings

The chair of Hallmark Foundation, Avnish Goyal, is celebrating his 60th birthday in 2026 with a series of events to raise awareness and funds for his charitable endeavours.

These have included a conference on leadership in health and social care, a spiritual celebration of sixty reasons for happiness, an event at the House of Lords, and a fundraising appeal for the Goyal Foundation’s Inner Spark programme.

Pictured are some of the almost 200 delegates at the Leadership conference at the Hammersmith Novotel led by Bala Kishore, with a focus on digital wellness, meditation, compassion and self-compassion. It included a presentation by Avnish Goyal on leadership in action as he recalled his journey over the last sixty years and his ambitions for Hallmark Luxury Care Homes and his charitable activities.

Also pictured are some of Avnish’s guests and family at the spiritual celebration of his birthday.

Avnish’s 60th birthday appeal has already raised over £153,000 for Inner Spark, the programme of free workshops in schools, promoting positive mindsets and life skills to empower young people to fulfil their potential. You can donate here: Goyal Foundation – JustGiving

Happy birthday Avnish – many thanks for all you give.

Campaign for Learning has worked with The Open University with funding from Hallmark Foundation to co-design, co-produce, and launch a unique, UK-wide toolkit aimed at supporting people to stay healthy beyond midlife. 

The average age of retirement in the UK is 66 and while the impact varies, for a significant proportion, it can have a detrimental effect.  

In addition to age-related health concerns, retirement is associated with increased risk of depression, reduced cognitive functioning, and lower life satisfaction. This decline in health and wellbeing has costs for the individual as well as their family and the wider society. This decline is, in many cases, also avoidable. 

That’s why The Open University and Campaign for Learning, funded by the Hallmark Foundation, used Learning at Work Week (18-24 May) to launch Small changes, big impact: rethinking wellbeing, a first of its kind, free resource to support midlife workers to thrive as they age.  

Based on the Five Pillars for Ageing Well, the resource highlights the importance of nutrition, hydration, physical, social and cognitive stimulation, to help promote health and wellbeing in later-life. It’s hoped that this toolkit will provide a sense of ownership over ageing and have a positive impact on them and their wider families. 

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has launched a unique national research project funded by Hallmark Foundation to investigate what young people in the UK think about their health in later life and what “ageing well” means to them.

The innovative study will examine the views of 13 to 22-year-olds, with a particular focus on “healthspan”, which is the number of years a person lives in good health.

While lifespan measures how long people live, healthspan shifts the emphasis to quality of life as people age, including physical, mental and social wellbeing.

Until now, healthspan research has typically focused on older adults, despite adolescence and early adulthood being critical periods for shaping lifelong habits and attitudes towards health.

By capturing young people’s own perspectives and experiences, this new project aims to provide insights into how health and ageing are understood early in life and how those views might influence long‑term outcomes.

The research will combine a national survey with focus groups, and also explore the social, environmental and behavioural factors that help or hinder people’s ability to live healthily.

The findings will be used to identify key facilitators and barriers to engaging in healthy lifestyles, develop an initiative to help young people build strong foundations for long-term health and wellbeing, and shape future research and education programmes.

The research is being led by Professor Justin Roberts and Dr Andie Riches at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), in partnership with the charity Hallmark Foundation, which supports people to “age well, every step of the way”.

“For many young people, ageing is probably the last thing on their minds, but we know that habits adopted in young age can last throughout someone’s lifetime.

“Very little research has been carried out looking at how younger age groups conceptualise their health and wellbeing in later life, so we hope this project will deliver important findings that will help shape future health initiatives.”
Justin Roberts, Professor of Nutritional Physiology at ARU

“Young people are likely to live longer lives, many reaching the age of 100 plus. But what do they need to do now in their teens and twenties to ensure that those longer lives are also heathier and fulfilled lives?

“This pioneering research will provide much needed information about young people’s attitudes and behaviours towards ageing well, helping more people to benefit from longevity in the future.
”Stephen Burke, CEO of Hallmark Foundation, which is funding the research

For further information about the project, contact [email protected]  A link to the survey is here: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/angliaruskin/young-peoples-views-on-health-and-ageing

Almost five hundred young people, teachers and care providers attended the third national Who Cares Wins! conference and exhibition at the Oval cricket ground on 3 March, organised by Championing Social Care.

The event featured presentations and performances to encourage school and college students to explore the wide variety of jobs and careers in the care sector. See the highlights video: Ria at the Who Cares Wins! conference

Part-funded by the Hallmark Foundation and Rayne Foundation, the event was also supported by Hallmark Luxury Care Homes and a range of other care providers and suppliers.

In the coming year there are plans to hold more local events as well as another national event to bring together young people and educators with the growing care sector. The increasing demand for care for older and disabled people means that half a million new jobs will be created in the next decade, with great career opportunities for young people.

To get involved with Who Cares Wins!, please register your interest here: https://forms.monday.com/forms/ef8d5976143c21217ad69cde37bfb845?r=euc1