PRESS RELEASE 22/01/16

New scheme to tackle loneliness in Malpas

Brightlife, the Big Lottery-funded partnership set up to improve the lives of older people in Cheshire West and Chester, is this week launching a pioneering scheme to help address loneliness and social isolation in Malpas.

In partnership with Laurel Bank GP Surgery, Brightlife is establishing the region’s first Social Prescribing serviceto help vulnerable patients by referring them directly from their GP into community-led activities.

The launch of thescheme will be celebrated with an open drop-in session at the new Brightlife officein the Young Person's Centre (1 Chester Rd, Malpas SY14 8HT), on Friday 29th January from 11am - 1pm. Drop-in sessions will continue on a regular weekly basis thereafter (10am-1pm), and anyone interested in finding out more about the scheme is welcome.

Brightlife’s Social Prescribing Coordinator for Malpas, Louise Gough, says:"We are delighted to be launching our new social prescribing scheme in Malpas. There are several ways that local people can get involved in Brightlife– by visiting their GP at Laurel Bank Surgery, attending one of our regular drop-in sessions at the Youth Centre, or by calling me directly on 07736 168342."

The Malpas community has welcomed Brightlife to the village, with key figures acting as vital ‘Community Connectors’ including ReverendCanon Ian Davenport, Craddock Court Manager Steve Atwood and Councillor Chris Whitehurst, and John and Mo from Oakden’s café having been instrumental in setting up the drop-in sessions.

John Webb, Chairman of Malpas Parish Council and Trustee of Age UK Cheshire, says of the scheme: “Brightlife offers an exciting opportunity for Malpas to find some new ways to combat loneliness and isolation. Given so many in our local community are over 50, this is an extremely important initiative that will make a real difference to the lives of people in the village.”

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Contact:

Louise Gough– Brightlife Social Prescribing Coordinator for Malpas

Tel: 07736 168342

Email:

Notes to Editors:

  • Brightlife is a partnership led by Age UK Cheshire (Registered Charity Number 1091608). It has been awarded £5m as part of the Big Lottery’s Fulfilling Lives, Ageing Better fund, which has given a total of £82m to 15 areas throughout England in order to improve the lives of up to 200,000 older people.
  • The Brightlife partnership includes: Age UK Cheshire, Older People’s Network, Cheshire West and Chester Council, West Cheshire CCG, Vale Royal CCG, Cheshire and Warrington Social Enterprise Partnership, Chester Voluntary Action, Deafness Support Network, Rural Community Services, Sanctuary Housing and West Cheshire Inter Faith Forum.
  • Over the next five years, Brightlife aims towork closely with older people to identify, design and implement a wide range of innovative solutions to address loneliness and isolation across Cheshire West and Chester.
  • Nationally, over 1 million older people say they are always or often feel lonely, and two-fifths say the television is their main form of company.With the numbers of older people aged 65 or over in the UK predicted to rise by nearly 50% in the next 20 years, loneliness is an urgent problem.