The London Buddy Scheme C.I.C.

The Friendship Fund

Tagline: "A constraint-free London, built together."

 

Subject: Help us build a city of true friendship and belonging.

 

Dear Friend,

 

London can be the most vibrant city in the world—or the loneliest.

 

For thousands of disabled Londoners, the hardest constraint isn't just a step or a flight of stairs; it’s the quiet isolation of being left behind. While our city boasts endless cultural, social, and civic life, thousands remain excluded. The cause isn't our impairments; it is inaccessible transport, non-inclusive venues, and deep-seated societal isolation.

 

Official research highlights a hidden crisis: disabled individuals are four times more likely to experience chronic loneliness, with over 70% reporting that social isolation directly damages their mental health. These barriers are compounded across intersectional identities—where race, gender, LGBTQ+ status, and economic precarity deepen exclusion.

Introducing The Friendship Fund

The London Buddy Scheme C.I.C. changes this. Grounded in lived expertise and "crip solidarity," we match disabled Londoners with trained peer buddies to navigate the city, attend events, build confidence, and challenge systemic constraints together.

 

As a Community Interest Company, every single pound raised for The Friendship Fund goes directly toward operational resources, volunteer training, and community advocacy. When you contribute, you aren't providing charity—you are funding systemic accessibility, personal autonomy, and civil inclusion."Before the scheme, I spent weeks staring at four walls because going out alone felt too overwhelming. Meeting my buddy changed everything. They didn’t try to 'fix' me—they just walked beside me. For the first time in years, I feel like I belong in London."— Scheme Participant

Alongside individual donations, we drive innovative corporate volunteering partnerships with mass-participation race organizers like RunThrough and RUN-FEST. Corporate employee teams marshal race events on behalf of TLBS, earning free race entry vouchers that are monetised and recycled back into The Friendship Fund to directly cover accessible transit fares for buddy pairs and sponsor active community outings.

What Your Gift Really Does — Impact Tiers

  • £10 — The "Coffee & Catch-Up" Fund: Covers accessible transit and warm drinks for a buddy pair meeting up for their very first face-to-face chat, breaking the ice and planting the seed of a lifelong friendship.

  • £25 — The "Buddy Warmth" Training: Funds specialized listening, safety, advocacy, and peer support training for a volunteer buddy—ensuring every newcomer is met with empathy, safety, and deep understanding under the Social Model.

  • £25 / £40 — Race Voucher Sponsorship & Transport: Monetises a corporate race volunteer voucher (earned via RunThrough/RUN-FEST marshalling) to fully fund accessible transit fares and entry passes for a disabled member and their peer buddy to take part in active community events together.

  • £50 — The "Saturday Outing" Sponsor: Directly enables a disabled Londoner and their buddy to attend a local museum, park, or social hub together, reclaiming their right to enjoy London's cultural heart.

  • £100 — The "Month of Belonging": Fully sponsors a tailored monthly pairing journey for a newly joined member, walking side-by-side with them as they rebuild their confidence, independence, and social circle.

Join Us in Shaping a Constraint-Free Capital

Through The Friendship Fund, your gift doesn't just fund travel; it funds a friend, a shared laugh, and the comforting reassurance that you never have to face the capital alone.

 

Support The Friendship Fund on GoFundMe

 

Thank you for standing with us in crip solidarity, mutual aid, and true community power.

 

Warmly,
The Team at The London Buddy Scheme C.I.C.