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, Registered Charity Number 1141988
The Opening of the Ninth Annual 2021 Second Half Art Exhibition: Celebrating Living Older Masters took place on the evening of Tuesday October 26th and carried through until midday on the 27th.
We had 10 amazingly talented Second Half artists (please look at the catalogue.) This is an inspirational story about continued transformation and growth and proves there is no 'sell by' date when it comes to creativity.
James Robinson, the Victoria and Albert's Keeper of Ceramics, Sculpture and Metalwork officially opened the exhibition. Over 150 people attended.
The following morning we hosted an extremely well attended breakfast where Rosy Greenlees, Director of the Crafts Council spoke on why the UK is so unique in the world of Crafts.
Half the proceeds went to the artists directly and the other half to fund the work of The Second Half Centre.
Iain Cassidy, Director of Open Age, James Robinson, Victoria and Albert Museum and Lady Jill Shaw Ruddock, CBE & Founder of The Second Half Centre and Foundation.
Diane Herlinger, Vice Chairman of The Second Half Foundation, Karen Lynn, Artist & Lady Jill Shaw Ruddock, Chairman and Founder.
The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988
The Second Half Exhibition October 2021
The ninth annual 2021 Second Half
Art Exhibition took place on Tuesday October 26th and 27th.
These 10 second half artists who
exhibited this year are incredibly talented. This exhibition reflects what the
Second Half Centre aims to be: a place where ageless curiosity and
self-discovery is part of the everyday experience. Please do take a few minutes
to look through the catalogue. Half the proceeds go to the artist and the
other half to fund the work of The Second Half Centre.
This has been a difficult time for our Second Half community which pre-covid hosted 92 hours of activities to our 6000 members. We have been closed since March 2020, and I am delighted to tell you we have now reopened with in person activities. During the closure we provided 60 hours of remote programming via zoom to our members.
The Exhibition was
officially opened by James Robinson, Victoria and Albert Museum’s Head of
Sculpture, Ceramics and Glass. The breakfast speaker was Rosy Greenlees,
President and Director of the Crafts Council who discussed Why Craft in the UK
is Unique.
The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988
The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988
The 2019 Second Half Art Exhibition was held on the
evening of October 23rd at The Second Half Centre in the NHS St Charles
Hospital and officially opened by pioneering gallerist David Gill. It was a very exciting evening, with a jam
packed room and our nine talented artists displaying and selling their gorgeous
work. Half the proceeds went to fund
the work of The Second Half Foundation; the other half to the exhibiting
artists.
Dr Nadia Rosenthal, Scientific Director and Professor of
The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics and one of our exhibiting
artists, hosted a fascinating breakfast on the morning of the 24th : WHEN
SCIENCE MEETS ART.
We are excited to confirm that when it comes to
creativity - there is no "sell by date" and we look forward to next
year. A big thank you to Grayson Perry,
The Victoria Miro Gallery, Diane Herlinger, our amazing Committee, Jenny
Marshall, Ann Canning, Nikita Loring, James Handford, our Volunteers, our
Supporters, and our Nine Exhibiting Artists who made this exhibition our best
ever to date.
The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988
The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988
Our exhibiting artists this year can be found on instagram:
The Second Half Foundation, Registered Charity Number 1141988
Since 2016, The Second Half Foundation, Diocese of London, Open Age and Barclays Bank: Digital Eagles partnered to create – Second Half Clubs - a time when older people can come together as a group to
enjoy group activities, make new friends, exercise, sing, learn new computer
skills and just have fun! Lunch is provided free by City Harvest and Pret
A Manager. The Diocese of London and the Archdeacon of Middlesex, The
Venerable Stephen Welsh, have taken a leading role to help create new church
communities where churches become hubs of the community on days not of worship
and promote active ageing. There are now five Second Half Clubs: St Stephens Church on Rochester Row SW1 (every Monday) and All
Saints Fulham SW6 (every Monday), St Paul’s
Church on 5 Rossmore Road NW1 (every Wednesday), St Andrews Church W14 (every Friday) and St Mary The Boltons SW10
(every Friday).
