BIG backing for Yorkshire bereavement support service

Area:

Yorkshire and the Humber

Programme:

Reaching Communities

Release date:

13 3 2012

A Scarborough project offering bereavement support to older people, their families and carers is one of four Yorkshire groups sharing over £1 million in National Lottery good cause funding.

The money comes from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme, which aims to help those most in need and build stronger communities.

Age UK Scarborough will use their £316,058 award to provide support throughout the three stages of bereavement. During the first stage, when someone has been diagnosed with a terminal illnesses, counselling will be provided and families and carers will receive respite and help with day to day tasks. During the second stage, when a loved one has died, families and carers will be supported with issues such as funeral arrangements and benefit claims. For the third post bereavement stage, support, advice and counselling will be provided, as well as help with personal issues such as finance, housing and probate.

Support will be on a one-to-one basis, often through a home visit, with group meetings offered to encourage peer support. Each beneficiary will be assessed to identify those who would benefit from specialist counselling to tackle any issues that could lead to further anxiety or depression. During the three-year project 744 clients will receive emotional support and counselling, 75 families will receive post bereavement counselling and 225 clients will attend support groups.

Jackie Hutchinson of Age UK Scarborough said: “The path through bereavement is a very personal journey; our service will support family and friends, both practically and emotionally on their journey. Through guidance and support, information and advice, providing a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on we will assist in preparing for death, at the time of death and onwards into a new phase of life.”

Also receiving funding in the region this month is Voluntary Action Rotherham Ltd, which has received close to £405,000 to set up a sustainable social enterprise to provide skills and learning to adults with learning difficulties.

A social enterprise coach will be on hand to mentor participants and teach them technical, craft and design skills, while also drumming up support for the project in the local community. The products made during the project will be sold through local craft events, fairs, markets and websites to generate income and all profits will be reinvested.

Over £347,000 also goes to Pay & Employment Rights Service (Yorkshire) Ltd in Kirklees, who will use their funding to support socially excluded and economically inactive individuals to gain skills to enable them to work from home and access employment or self-employment opportunities. Participants will take part in flexible accredited training in local community venues and receive one-to-one support with things like preparing business plans. Current participants will act as peer mentors and information packs will be handed out at local community events.

Vanessa White, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the Yorkshire and Humber region, said: “Today’s grants to projects in Yorkshire and the Humber will go a long way towards supporting vulnerable people through difficult times and give them the support and skills they need to move forwards with their lives.”

A full list of projects receiving funding in York and Humber today:

Further Information

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 46% 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 £4.4bn.
• 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 £27 billion has now been raised and more than 370,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

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