The Art of Connection with Re-engage

As the merry chorus of cacophonous Christmas cheer strikes up, we are deeply proud to unveil a collaboration imbued with a heartfelt and profound purpose: a set of Christmas cards that celebrates the spirit of giving in its truest form. In partnership with the charity Re-engage, these cards offer not only a beautiful expression of festive cheer, but also a means of fostering warmth and connection where it’s needed most.

Designed by British artist Sam Scales, the two original illustrations capture the quiet magic of a traditional Christmas and are poised to send forth their message of goodwill to all. At the heart of this collection, however, is a mission that extends well beyond the festooned parameters of the Christmas season. Proceeds from each box of cards go directly to Re-engage, a charity that for nearly six decades has devoted itself to reducing loneliness among older people in the UK. The collaboration felt effortlessly aligned with Rowen & Wren’s deepest held values, as Creative Director and Founder, Lucy Uren, explains.

“The work of Re-engage resonates deeply with us, particularly at Christmas, when the significance of togetherness and human connection feels profoundly clear,” she says. “We hope that our cards might bring not only joy to those who receive them but also contribute to the greater good Re-engage champions.”

Re-engage was founded in 1965 when Trevor Lyttleton held a single, heartfelt and transformative tea party for older people experiencing loneliness in his community. It proved life-changing in a myriad of ways – not least in leading him to found a charity whose core mission remains the same today as it did on the day it begun: to create spaces where older people can feel connected.

Over the years, this small gathering has blossomed into a network of activity groups and one-to-one call companion services, gently weaving friendship and camaraderie back into the lives of those for whom silence has gradually come to replace the chatter and bustle of days gone by. Re-engage’s tea parties remain at the heart of its work, with volunteers offering both transport and a warm welcome, creating an experience filled with conversation and companionship. It’s a place where friendships take root, allowing older guests respite from the solitude that can, for some, feel both inexorable and insurmountable.

To ensure that all who cannot attend in person still feel the embrace of companionship, Re-engage also offers a call companion service. Volunteers connect with those within the charity’s community regularly, sharing conversation on topics as everyday as the weather and as personal as their most treasured memories. One Re-engage recipient reflects, “My call companion is one of the kindest people I know – a true listener. Those Monday calls bring me so much joy.”

And as Christmas draws closer, Re-engage’s efforts become all the more vital, with the season throwing loneliness into stark relief for so many. The charity’s Christmas call companion initiative helps to counter this, with volunteers placing extra calls throughout December, and thus bringing warmth and light to days that might otherwise lack those same sustaining qualities.

Our Christmas cards, then, carry a deep significance: a simple yet profound means of creating connection and companionship. Each box of cards purchased will help to support the work of Re-engage, extending the warmth of the season to some of those most in need of it. 

To send a little warmth this Christmas, discover our charity cards here.