The Easter event bringing together the elderly in London

Glue, scissors, coloured pens: Hackney’s annual Easter bonnet parade was held at Our London Vodka Distillery last Easter Sunday.

The brainchild of filmmaker Chris Murdoch, the Golden Years Hackney parade and lunch brings together the elderly and volunteers to tackle social isolation and loneliness in the area.

Volunteers included London Fashion Week hat designer Nasir Mazhar, who hosted the event, with make-your-own Easter bonnet hat supplies donated by Penny Hornecker. The DJ and club icon Princess Julia judged guests’ hat designs and asked questions in her “mind-boggling” general knowledge quiz.

Says Murdoch: “It was such a fun day with Sunday roast and cakes made by Jerome Slesinski and Alex Paganelli plus an old fashioned Cockney singalong with Mister Meredith.”

He adds “The lunch is a chance for the older residents of Hackney to come together to gossip and chat with people of their own age, many of whom just don’t have the chance to get out as much as they once did.” 

The venue was decorated by more of the capital’s fashion talent with designer Ed Marler and the stylist Matthew Josephs on hand to decorate with flowers, eggs, rabbits and, strangely, cabbages.

Says Murdoch: “What we really want though, is for more local businesses to get involved and support us. It’s for such a great cause.” 

For those interested in helping with the Golden Years Hackney project, you can message Murdoch on Instagram at @goldenyearshackney

Pictures courtesy of Gemma Peden.