Older people ‘wheel’ meet again thanks to BIG

Area:

North West England

Programme:

Reaching Communities

Release date:

19 3 2013

More than 700 lonely older people - isolated from society due to poverty, poor mobility or disability - will benefit from just under £300,000 awarded by the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).

South Central Transport in Liverpool is just one of eight projects across the North West receiving money from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme which helps those most in need and builds stronger communities. Other projects receiving funding today are in Halton, Cheshire West, Blackpool, Bolton and Sefton.

The Liverpool organisation will use its £299,422 grant to start a new project called ‘Wheel Meet Again’ to help older people living in south and central Liverpool who feel imprisoned in their own homes with little or no social life and other problems due to poor mobility and limited exercise. 

The project will run IT classes to help beneficiaries access the internet to connect with family and friends. A book and writing club; exercise, craft and dance classes; walking, and historical events will also be held. The organisation will use their own disability adapted vehicles to transport people to and from their own homes.

Trustee Lynn Richardson said: “We are thrilled to be given this opportunity to deliver our project which will enable many of our elderly residents the opportunity to combat loneliness, find companionship and improve their health and well-being. They will regain a sense of belonging to their community and feel a valued member of society, with a range of events, classes, skills and volunteering opportunities, all with door-to-door transport included. 

“In March 2011 we ran a pilot day out to Blackpool, taking 55 local older residents for a three-course lunch and afternoon of entertainment. Consultations followed and what we discovered was how great the need for interaction was for these people and how difficult it was for them to achieve this without transport and others to share the experience with.

“News quickly spread and we received numerous enquiries from groups and individuals asking about the project. It’s great to be able to bring some cheer in to the lives of these people thanks to the Big Lottery Fund enabling this much-needed project to go ahead.”

Meanwhile, nearly 1,500 disabled and older residents of Halton, Warrington and Cheshire West will benefit from a £119,430 grant to continue and expand a transport service to help them access key local amenities and training opportunities to improve their health, reduce their social isolation and maintain their independence.

Halton Community Transport takes disabled people, mainly blind and visually impaired, to the Independent Living Centre for health appointments and employment advice. The service also provides free transport to a rural retirement village to access supermarkets, health appointments and social activities. It also provides volunteering opportunities including driver training. 

In Blackpool a new project receives £316,674 to break the cycle of deprivation amongst young people by changing their attitudes and lifestyle choices. The Boathouse Youth centre will open seven days a week for six hours a day - and ten hours a day when schools are closed. It will provide education and employment training while also attracting the young people through football, cycling, coaching, art, IT, dancing and theatre. There will also be workshops on alcohol and substance misuse and community projects like litter picking and graffiti cleaning.

A project to increase the confidence and motivation of unemployed disabled adults in Bolton receives £264,979. Community Care Options will increase opportunities to find work through training in administration, IT, mechanical engineering and woodwork.

Big Lottery Fund spokesperson Helen Bullough said: “Many older people live lonely lives, imprisoned in their own homes and isolated from the rest of society due to poor mobility, disability and poverty. So we are very pleased to make grants to the projects in Liverpool and the Warrington and Cheshire West area. As we live longer lives and our population grows older, vital services like these will become more and more necessary.

“All of the projects we have funded will help some of the most vulnerable people in the North West and help to build stronger communities.”

Other projects receiving grants are:

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigLotteryFund #BIGlf
Find BIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFund
 
Notes to Editors

• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since June 2004 BIG has awarded over £6bn.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

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