Initially allocated £1,000, the plan was to record some stories for isolated people to listen to in their own homes. The initial plan was to engage an isolated lady who had experience in this sort of recording as a way of providing a therapeutic way for her to help others. Unfortunately this plan had to be changed as the lady backed out mid – way. The funding was switched to develop a social group for people in the area. The group has been established and is continuing to gain confidence in expressing views and opinions and listening to their own voices. The host has been motivated to visit a local sheltered housing scheme (one that has lost its warden service) and encourages the residents to meet in their shared space and stimulates conversation. The group have now bought a mobile phone and tablet and are learning how to use them. 8 people in the group have benefitted from sharing time and skills and learning new skills especially IT skills. The residents of the sheltered housing scheme are also beneficiaries due to the increased confidence and drive of the woman who visits them.
This project is related to a number of linked projects that have been developed by one of the first cohort of Change Champions including an active Time Bank in Scartho, social clubs and lunch clubs in St Michaels and St Aidens and plans to develop the old Scartho library.
Using the same conservative approach, this has a social value in excess of £102,000 as well as its impact on reduced health and social care demand. Lynne Smith who made the initial application has continued to develop a new working relationship with the Older People’s Health and Wellbeing Collaborative who she met on the Change Champions course. The Collaborative team have worked with Lynn sharing their expertise and knowledge in how to set up social and lunch clubs and they are now working on an innovative new project in Immingham which will provide day services in a different way to the traditional approach integrating residential and care home premises.
As part of her employment with Foresight Lynne has completed an application to the Big Lottery, Reaching Communities Fund to develop a health hub in Scartho incorporating the library, the church and the community halls.