Older people
In Touch Project Workers
Barbara Piranty barbarap@grcc.org.uk
Vicki Hewlett vickih@grcc.org.uk
01452 528491
GRCC’s In Touch project is committed to empowering older people within their own communities to provide social and health related activities that promote independence, wellbeing and enhance social inclusion. This is achieved by:
- Giving sound advice, support and information to existing groups on issues around funding, constitutions, volunteers, insurance requirements, health and safety, food hygiene, risk assessment, speakers and entertainment, transport, available services and forthcoming events.
- Working with individuals and communities to set up new social groups, lunch clubs and activities for older people by establishing the need, setting up a committee, securing start-up funding, promotion and advertising, helping to organise relevant training and so on.
- Delivering countywide information events on a range of subjects including equity release, bereavement and volunteering. Mini Information Day Toolkit
- Setting up local health related activities including the successful T’ai Chi Qi Gong sessions helping to maintain balance and general mental and physical wellbeing in older people.
- Assisting in the delivery of intergenerational projects, bridging the gap and encouraging dialogue between generations.
- Delivering cookery projects to encourage older people to maintain a healthy diet and enjoy cooking for themselves.
In Touch works primarily with rural communities and groups of older people across Gloucestershire. Over the years, In Touch has also developed strong relationships with partnership agencies and organisations in the statutory and voluntary sector dealing with older people. This has enabled the project to deliver its objectives consistently and successfully. Some of the many partners include the county, district and borough councils, Primary Care Trust, Community and Adult Care Directorate, Fire Service, Pension Service, Age Concern, Affordable Warmth Partnership, Police, Lifelong Learning, Care and Repair, Gloucestershire Older Persons Assembly and Help the Aged.
Annual Events
In Touch is currently planning its 2008 annual county events. This year's theme will be around healthy and active ageing and opportunities for volunteering.
Bereavement Training
In Touch recognises the need to provide support to those who have been bereaved and with this in mind, are currently working on a project to train individuals in grief facilitation. 12 individuals have now been selected to take part in the four day intense grief support and facilitation training programme. This training will take place in September and October 2008, following which groups will be set up in partnership to provide comprehensive support to those most in need in the county.
Minchinhampton Intergenerational Project
The last session of this very successful six week intergenerational allotment project was delivered in early June 08.
Thanks go to key partners including Minchinhampton Parish Council, Minchinhampton Youth officer Andy Brookes, Steve Miles Senior Youth Officer, Year 8 and 9 pupils from Thomas Keble School, older residents of Minchinhampton and NJ Landscapes, without whose advice, help and practical support this project would not have taken place.
This aim of the project was to bring together the two generations and help to bridge the ‘gap’ by focusing efforts in a directed way using the growing of food in a nearby allotment together with other aspects covered during the six weeks – healthy eating, diets, wartime food, tasting, recycling etc.
An edited version of a DVD showing excerpts of each session will be made available shortly. It is also hoped that key members of the group will continue this valuable piece of work.
For further information and a copy of the evaluation report please contact Barbara Piranty on barbarap@grcc.org.uk
The Pheasant Club - Tewkesbury Pub Club pilot
A new pilot project has recently started in Toddington, Nr Tewkesbury. The inititative, funded by Gloucestershire County Council and delivered by GRCC’s In Touch project in conjunction with the Village Agents project, aims to provide older people living in Toddington and the surrounding areas with an opportunity to come together at the Pheasant Pub on a monthly basis to participate in both health and arts based activities and enjoy a traditional pub lunch.
In areas like Toddington, where access to local meeting places are limited and transport links are poor or non existent, this type of activity will enable older people to socialise, find out what health services are available to them and participate in creative arts based activities in a friendly, safe environment.
To find out more about this project or join the existing group, please contact Barbara Piranty or Vicki Hewlett at GRCC on 01452 528491 or email barbarap@grcc.org.uk or vickih@grcc.org.uk
Links
Age Concern Gloucestershire
GUIDE
