Grants worth almost £150,000 allocated to support health and wellbeing in Reading

A number of community-based projects in Reading to help residents access medical, practical, and emotional support have just been awarded a Better Care Fund grant.

The ten grants totalling £148,150 are part of the Council’s commitment to support and empower people to remain as independent and as well as possible.

This valuable grant fund will allow a wide range of activities and initiatives to be implemented or extended, including:

• Tackling social isolation through groups, meetings and events
• Improving confidence at classes including self-defence and tai chi
• Getting physically fitter with options including walking and football groups
• Improving mobility through activities such as chair yoga and adapted gym sessions
• Learning new skills such as cooking, hairdressing and gardening
• Provision of essential household items and clothing

The full list of Better Care Fund recipients is:

Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE) will deliver a “Keeping Well” programme and practical digital-health support for residents experiencing deprivation, loneliness, low confidence, language or cultural barriers, digital exclusion and wider health inequalities. https://acre-reading.org/

Get Berkshire Active will deliver the “Ever Active Reading” programme, providing accessible weekly community-based physical activity and wellbeing sessions for older people and residents with long-term health conditions.  https://getberkshireactive.org/ever-active

Healthwatch Reading “Reframing Masculinity: Men Can Care” project will work with men with lived experience and community partners to identify and support hidden male carers, improve access to advice and preventative support, reduce isolation, and establish a lasting Male Carers Network. https://www.healthwatchreading.co.uk/ 

Launchpad Reading providing an accessible, preventative health and wellbeing service supporting adults facing social isolation, poor mental health, long-term health conditions, disability and homelessness, and access to laundry and shower facilities. https://launchpadreading.org.uk/

Parenting Special Children will provide helpline advice, specialist one-to-one support, monthly groups, family events and trained peer support for families of children with special needs, supporting ethnically diverse communities and mothers affected by domestic abuse in Reading’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. https://parentingspecialchildren.co.uk/events/

Reading Gateway Church will deliver a community-based Parish Nursing and wellbeing programme in South Reading, for older people, unpaid carers, and those with long-term conditions or disabilities, or who are most affected by health inequalities, providing home visits and nursing support alongside bereavement sessions and more. https://www.readinggateway.church/parish-nurse/

Sport In Mind will expand free, inclusive physical activity and wellbeing support across Reading, including weekly walking, football, yoga and Tai Chi sessions, targeted outreach and community events for people experiencing mental health challenges, particularly those facing additional health inequalities to get people more active. https://www.sportinmind.org/berkshire2

The Cowshed Referral Project will provide disadvantaged Reading residents with free essential clothing, hygiene products, bedding, household and maternity items through established referral pathways, supporting dignity and wellbeing, independent living, safe returns home from hospital and reduced health inequalities.  https://www.thecowshed.org/

Torch Help Hub will expand its “Neighbourhood Parish Nursing” Service in Coley and Southcote, providing home visits, ReadiCook sessions particularly for people on low incomes or using local food pantries, to prepare healthy affordable meals, alongside seated exercise, health education on illness and disease, and bereavement support. https://torchhub.org.uk/our-projects/parish-nurse-2/

Utulivu Women’s Group “Midlife Matters” programme will deliver women’s midlife health and prevention sessions, targeted community outreach activities and a community learning event, particularly engaging women from ethnically diverse communities including African, Caribbean and other groups; older people, unpaid carers and those affected by long-term conditions or health inequalities. https://utulivu.co.uk/

Councillor Rachel Eden, Lead Councillor for Education and Public Health, said:

“Supporting people’s physical and mental health works best when the Council, our community partners and residents work together.

“Reading has brilliant community and voluntary organisations that know their communities, have built trusted relationships and understand the support people need.

“I’m really pleased that the Council is once again investing in ten of these vital organisations. This funding will help us reach people who need support and give our partners the opportunity to build on what they already do so well.

“By working together to help people stay mentally and physically well, we can support more residents to live independently and stay connected to their communities.”