We are happy to announce Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Foundation have awarded Armley Helping Hands and New Wortley Community Centre funding from Stay Well This Winter Grants 2020 to provide an evening support service for our most vulnerable older people, writes Dawn Newsome.
In partnership with New Wortley Community Centre our ambition is address winter health and support individuals, and the community in reducing health inequalities within vulnerable households, reducing excess winter deaths, and increasing energy efficiency.
Our objective will have two tiers, pending the COVID 19 situations, when we implement the programme between November 2020 to March 2021.
Tier One (non-lockdown) is to run a weekly social and supper evening for older people in a collaborative approach and working in partnership with New Wortley Community Centre who will provide café area, catering staff and food and refreshments.
We will deliver the transport and activity/information sessions. This will run in accordance with Government Guidelines and COVID -19 to ensure all health & safety measures are completed.
Tier Two (if the country is affected by lockdown) we will provide a two-course hot food delivery service to the individual older people homes in the evening. Staff and volunteers will provide a doorstep interaction and offer self-care/activity packs.
Each tier will provide evening support from November to our older people over the cold and dark winter period which is significant time people feel isolated and periods of low mood.
Each session will also have focus on mental stimulation, prevention and distribute Information from key agencies ie Care and Repair, Winter Warmth Advisor, MoneyBuddies, British Gas etc to deliver advice on the importance of keeping warm, how to Set heating controls to maximise warmth and efficiency, and identify any problems with paying bills linking to other services.
For more information on How to access this service contact Janice Turnbull on 0113 2799292 or email Janice.Turnbull@armleyhelpinghands.org.