Agenda item

An update and funding applications as detailed in the attached report.

The Board considered two bids for funding from the Health & Wellbeing budget, as detailed in the report attached to the agenda.

The Community Engagement Manager, Tom Bray explained that the intergeneration event in Downton the previous week had gone well.

Jane explained that with the support of Age UK they had an intergeneration group, where aged 12 & 13 had been supporting older people from Downton with It skills. Tea and cake, had been provided at the event, and those attending were shown what could be done with the use of tablets, laptops and PCs.

Everyone had been impressed with the young people who all had such patience with even those who had no knowledge at all.

Cllr Devine noted that the H&WB budget for 2017/18 was not huge, after the grants for consideration at this meeting, that would leave a small amount. He felt that there were more groups in this area that may benefit from funding. He asked the Board to be careful in distributing funds and not necessarily in large amounts.

The Chairman explained that the Board has a certain freedom, in the way it used the bigger pot of Community Grant funding.

Cllr Clewer had been asked as the lead member to meet with Tom to look at all of the projects planned and those which had been carried out, with the view that as we are to become a Dementia Friendly area the Board would support projects and events t promote this. There had only been two Dementia Friend events so far, that still remains an objective.

Music for Wellbeing CIC

Cllr McLennan declared a personal interest as his daughter was the applicant. He did not speak or vote on the application.

Olivia McLennan was in attendance to speak about the project.

This was a 5-week project over the summer in Laverstock, going on to deliver dance sessions after the project.

In Downton the aim would be a monthly session over 4 months with a catchment of 20-30 people. These were pilot projects, with the aim of rolling out further groups if successful.

Questions:

·         How would your client group find you? Answer: I would use local media to promote the project and liaise with existing groups.

·         What sort of music do you use? Answer: Folk and music from around the world. However this would be adapted to include specific music tastes.

·         Would the Laverstock and Downton Parish Councils be contributing towards the projects? Answer: I have not approached them yet.

The Chairman added that the Board would expect the parish council to be aware and approached but was happy to treat this as a pilot initially.

Decision

The Southern Wiltshire Area Board awarded £1407.01 to the Music for wellbeing CIC project.

Laverstock Memory Group

Mr & Mrs Bartlett, the applicants explained that this was the only group in the country that met in someone’s home. The group had been running for 7 years, and had had to re-focus after Wiltshire Council revised its funding to only one provider. Since 1^st April they had restructured the group, for the 14 people who attended, this also included some younger people under 60.

The group tried to give people with dementia a voice, to try and influence local policy. Family carers were invited to stay and have a coffee in the conservatory during the group sessions. They found that they had so much to say and to share with each other whilst the person they are caring for was in the other room.

Questions:

·         Do you have £5k from the Alzheimer’s society? Answer: Not from the Alzheimer’s Society, but from Alzheimer’s Support.

·         What would £4k buy us in our Community Area? Answer: We would continue to support people in this area and would be able to come and meet with people, to help produce better Dementia Friendly areas. Our group runs 30 weeks of the year. But at the same time, we support many people who live alone. It buys a 1000 hours of our support work. Face to face, but we work beyond that.

Tom added that he had attended one of the sessions, he was inspired by the work they do and the support that is given there.

·         Cllr Devine noted that not all of the clients were from the Southern Wiltshire area, he asked whether the group would be applying for funding from the Salisbury Area Board (SAB)? Answer: They had not yet applied to the Salisbury Area Board, and would be happy to receive referrals from this area in the future.

·         This was an incredibly useful and worthwhile project however, there would be an ongoing cost. Answer: Yes, we are trying to address this by raising money. We don’t like to charge people for the service as the cost of dementia care is very expensive.

Tom noted that this was a one-off funding bid whilst the group was in a transition to get themselves off the ground as a new organisation.

The Chairman noted that as discussion had raised the prospect of the applicant approaching the Salisbury Area Board (SAB) for a contribution towards the project, he proposed that the Southern Wiltshire Area Board award £2000, with the view that the applicant approach SAB and come back to this Board if that was not successful.

Decision

To award £2,000 to the Laverstock Memory Group, and suggest the applicant also approach Salisbury Area Board for funding towards this project.