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Community groups with a close social care link could benefit from a windfall if they successfully apply to a self-help fund. Derbyshire County Council's community self-help fund is used by its adult social services to help groups which have a social care link, either organising activities or offering services which benefit older and vulnerable people's lives and people with learning and physical disabilities. The fund is designed to help communities help themselves and is mainly intended to support groups while they set up, with grants being spent on equipment, setting up costs, initial publicity and rent. Funding from the self-help pot is also given out to established groups in order to cover `exceptional' costs or `one-off' grants, for example buying new equipment. Once projects and groups are up and running it is hoped they will be successful in finding funding from other sources to keep them going, rather than applying again to the self-help fund. County council cabinet member for adult social services Councillor Dave Allen said: "Our community self-help fund is used by us to help groups organising activities with a social care aspect for older adults and people with learning and physical disabilities. "Over the years we have helped many groups with one-off grants as they provide an invaluable service to their communities and can help to combat social isolation." Dozens of community groups across the county have benefited from the self-help fund over the years, from cafes for people with Alzheimer's and their carers to groups giving concerts to people in residential homes and day care centres. Community groups wanting to apply to the self-help fund should ring Keith Moakes at Derbyshire County Council on 01629 532243 or write to him for an application form: Adult Social Services
Derbyshire County Council
County Hall
Matlock
Derbyshire
DE4 3AG Media enquiries only to Mandy Cann on 01629 585032 or email mandy.cann@derbyshire.gov.uk. |
