- Area:
- West Midlands
- Programme:
- Reaching Communities
- Release date:
- 19 3 2013
Over a thousand older people in Sandwell are set to benefit from a series of creative activities to help reduce isolation and improve health following news of Lottery funding today.
Sandwell Arts Trust is one of three West Midlands projects to share in £689,431 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme which aims to help those most in need and build stronger communities. Projects in Stoke and Wolverhampton also benefit today.
Sandwell Arts Trust receives £95,358 to support older people in the area by establishing a creative hub at The Public Arts Venue in West Bromwich. The hub will provide an advice drop-in service, led by Age UK Sandwell, and peer-led creative and IT activities, led by a steering group which includes Sandwell University of the Third Age (SU3A) members. SU3A is a learning co-operative of older people no longer in full-time paid employment who participate for the love of learning and to increase feelings of well-being.
Linda Saunders, Sandwell Arts Trust Managing Director, said: “The funding will enable us to establish a well-equipped and creative space and run an exciting range of creative activities alongside access to high quality advice.
For older people it will be a great opportunity to come together to break down feelings of isolation, stretch creative skills and increase sense of well-being by taking part in and leading interesting programmes for themselves and others. Sandwell Arts Trust, on behalf of Sandwell Creative Hub for Older People and in partnership with Sandwell University of the Third Age and Age UK are delighted to receive funding from the Big Lottery Fund.”
Activities at the hub will include tea dances, arts and crafts, physical exercise sessions and advice on healthy lifestyles and how to monitor for early signs of deteriorating mental health. And the project aims to encourage older people to get involved in their community and make informed choices about well-being issues to help prevent the need for hospital intervention.
Other projects to secure funding today include Disability Solutions West Midlands, awarded £349,841 to help disabled people realise their potential by widening opportunities for personal development, training, employment and volunteering. It will support the development of businesses run by disabled people; providing better support and advice services and giving disabled people a stronger community presence.
The organisation will be moving into newly refurbished premises which will enable them to provide a one stop shop style of services to disabled people in Stoke on Trent. The project will offer support on independent living, healthy living, gentle exercise classes, self-employment services and outreach. The new premises will allow them to reduce waiting times and improve their current crisis service.
And Home-Start Wolverhampton receives £244,232 to continue and expand an existing service that supports parents to build skills and confidence. The project aims to reduce isolation, improve parenting and increase interaction between parents and children. It will increase the number of volunteers that provide support, friendship and practical help to parents with children aged five and under in Wolverhampton.
Mick McGrath, Big Lottery Fund spokesman for the West Midlands region, said: “All three West Midlands projects receiving Lottery good cause funding today are very much about empowering people to lead more fulfilled lives. Whether faced with the isolation that can come with growing older, the challenges that disability can bring or the struggles of being a new parent, today’s projects will help people to feel more confident and in control of their situation.”
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
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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 its inception in June 2004 BIG has awarded close to £6 bn.
• 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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