Agenda item

The Board will consider applications for funding from the Health & Wellbeing Fund. Balance remaining for 2019/20 : £10,968

Health & Wellbeing Funding bids:

The Board considered five bids to the Health and Wellbeing fund for 2019/20, as detailed in the report attached to the agenda.

John Berridge was in attendance to support the two applications from Carers Support.

Carers Support was a local charity that supported unpaid carers. There were 1100 carers in the Southern Wiltshire community area. About 20-25% will be registered with us.

The Make a Friend be a Friend project was where we would send out a postcard to every household in the area, to encourage lonely and isolated people to connect with existing local groups.

Karen confirmed that the Board could work with Carers Support to look at the figures and consider the areas to be targeted.

Questions:

·       What are you defining as the southern area? Answer: We are looking at approximately 11k homes. Karen clarified that the costing issue was that it was only possible to mailshot to a minimum of the first 4 digits of a postcode, so more direct targeting was not possible.

Karen suggested the Board deferred making a decision on that first bid until it had had time to look at which post codes should be targeted.

Decision

The application from Carers Support for the Make a Friend, be a Friend scheme was deferred until the next meeting.

Reason

The CEM would work with the applicant to bring a revised application back to a future meeting.

Carers Support requested £5835 towards the Southern Community Carers Champion scheme to bring extra resource into this area. The funding would support a Community Connector role for one day a week for a year to  engage with local groups, GPs surgeries, and others who provide a service and support to carers.

Decision

The application from Carers Support for the Southern Community Carers Champion scheme was deferred pending the outcome of the South West Wiltshire Community Area’s work with this project.

Reason

The area board was keen to see how the project worked in South West Wiltshire before agreeing to run it in Southern Wiltshire

Nunton & Downton Sheltered Housing Scheme requested £960 towards a new gardening club.

There were 23 sheltered housing schemes throughout Wiltshire, over the years the funding had not allowed us to keep up the standard of green space environment and the residents were not able to maintain the heavy work.

There were two schemes in Downton and Nunton, and the work would be steered by a Social Enterprise company, which was not for profit. So far, the enthusiasm of the residents to join in and keep the gardens going was high, and they hoped to enter a garden competition. The real purpose was a social one, as it was hoped that the garden clubs would bring people together and have associated trips out with a common theme.

Questions:

·       Of the two schemes, how many residents would take part? Answer: There would be up to 40.

·       In the costings, it has £600 for the Foragers Farm, but what does that buy? Answer: Equipment, and water buts and materials to build the composters.

·       The £600 is shown at being for 20 visits at £30 each. Answer: The template shows that this is the kind of costs required.

Decision

Nunton & Downton Sheltered Housing Scheme was awarded £960 towards the garden clubs.

Homestart SW requested £3300 towards the reaching out project.

Emma Proctor explained that they recruit, train and match volunteers to families that need help in Southern Wiltshire. The families come from referrals. 

Questions:

·       If you are supporting 12 families for 6 months, what is the frequency of these referrals? Answer: We already have 12 families that are waiting for volunteers.

·       In the costings, it shows operational costs at £400 and office costs at £1650, what is that for? Answer: Our office costs is based at Old Sarum, that is rent. We have 3 part time paid staff, and everyone else is a volunteer. There is also governance and fees, like the insurances and subscription to Homestart UK.

·       Is Home Start a charity, and have you no other streams of income? Answer: The other funding streams are itemised for you in the application.

·       You show a surplus of £22k, is that for reserves? Answer: Yes, we need to have £19k in reserves for running costs and the risks of having to close that scheme.

·       Inspector Hutchings added that 12 years ago after the birth of his triplets his family was referred to Home Start as his wife was overwhelmed and had no family support. The support they received was wonderful.

Decision

Home Start was awarded £3300 towards the Reaching Out project for the Southern Wiltshire Community Area.

Silver Sunday Programme requested £500 towards the collaboration between Salisbury, SWWilts and Southern Area Boards.

Irene Kholer gave an overview of the Silver Sunday event.

Last year there was a programme of two dozen events which were free. These  taster sessions were aimed at older people to show that older people could defy the images of the media that they were a drain on services.

This year there would be over 50 sessions. Including an open day at Riverbourne Community Farm, Hazelwood farm and at the Guildhall.

Decision

The Silver Sunday programme was awarded £500 towards the collaboration work.