Age UK North Craven gets £40,000 grant (From Craven Herald)

North Yorkshire County Council’s Innovation Fund awards grant

4:30pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in News

Older people in North Craven are to benefit from a £40,000 grant.

The money – from North Yorkshire County Council’s Innovation Fund – will be used by Age UK North Craven to develop its day activities project.

The scheme will promote a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle for the over-50s through activities such as horticulture, art and music. Christine Broadhead, of Age UK, said: “We hope to expand the opportunities available.

“We have already employed a day activities co-ordinator, Richard Daniels, who will look at what we are doing and see if we can offer more places, particularly to those who are frail and those who experience mobility or memory loss issues.

“The Government is moving away from traditional day care and we need to take a fresh look at how we operate. This project is very much in its infancy. We hope to introduce more outings, providing extra support to enable as many as possible to participate.”

The Innovation Fund encourages voluntary groups to identify new community approaches to help transform the way adult social care services are delivered in North Yorkshire.

“The voluntary sector plays a vital part in the provision of care to people across our county and the award of these grants is a demonstration the council is determined to recognise and reward that contribution,” said County Coun Clare Wood, executive member for adult social care.

The fund contains £1.6 million to be allocated over three years with the aim of developing a more flexible and personalised approach to traditional services.

In the first round of grants, £324,000 was awarded to eight voluntary sector projects throughout the county.