Member Article

£1,000 grant will help banish loneliness

Leading housebuilder Persimmon Homes has donated £1,000 to a local charity to secure the continued good work of its befriending service.

The Selly Oak Live at Home Scheme received the financial support as part of Persimmon Homes Central’s Community Champions scheme, a national programme where charities and groups can apply for funding up to the value of £1,000 to match money they have raised themselves.

Selly Oak Live at Home Scheme provides social groups, outings and befriending visits for older people in the Selly Oak, Weoley and Bournville wards of Birmingham. The befriending service offers regular weekly visits to older people in the community.

Julie Chidgey, from the charity, said: “Many of these older people do not have the opportunity to get out very often and look forward very much to the visit of their volunteer. It gives them a chance to chat about their lives, find out what is happening outside their front door and reduces the loneliness and isolation experienced by so many older people.”

Julie added that research has shown that a reduction in loneliness and isolation can increase mental well-being.

“We are raising money to help pay for the recruitment and advertising costs incurred in seeking volunteers, and also to pay their expenses. We ask for donations towards our work from friends of the Scheme and have so far raised £1,323 but it is difficult to keep asking the same people.

“We are incredibly grateful to Persimmon for their financial help, which will help to reduce loneliness in older people.”

Amanda Benjamin, sales director for Persimmon Homes Central, said: “We are really pleased to help such a valuable community service as the Selly Oak Live at Home Scheme, which is doing so much to banish loneliness.

“The Selly Oak area has seen our redevelopment of the old hospital site, which many of the older generation may well remember, into a fabulous collection of one, two, three, four and five bedroom homes at The Oaks, and we very much feel part of the community there. The Community Champions Scheme is our way of giving something back.”

For more information about The Oaks development on Raddlebarn Road visit www.persimmonhomes.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Taylor .