Bury Council’s Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation Fund has confirmed an award of £13,000 to support a communal menu promoting wellbeing across all age groups.
With the shared objective of ensuring that members of the Greater Manchester Jewish and local community remain healthy, independent, and connected to their community and one another, three local Jewish organisations – The Fed, Manchester Maccabi and The Nicky run by Manchester |Jewish Community Care (MJCC) – collaborated in securing the Council funding.
This will support a range of projects designed to reduce loneliness and promote positive mental wellbeing.
These include The Fed’s ‘Walk and Talk’ group initiated during lockdown to allow people to socialise outdoors as well as its twice weekly ‘Mums and Tots’ group and monthly ‘Coffee Stops’ for older isolated people.
Also on the menu are Maccabi’s outdoor exercise class and ‘Mindfulness and Meditation’ sessions as well as activities for older people held at The Nicky day centre which also provides hot meals and bathing facilities.
The programme will run for 12 months.
Our Trusts, Foundations, and Bid-writer, Lucy Edwards, said:
“A key element of The Fed’s organisational strategy is to champion and actively seek opportunities to work in close partnership with other communal organisations.
“Such collaboration results in optimal use of valuable community resources, cuts waste and duplication and encourages the sharing of ideas and good practice. And our community members are the beneficiaries of this joined-up approach. Taking the leading on this bid propels this aim forward.
It was a delight to work with my counterparts in Maccabi and MJCC. We’ve learned even more about each other and can offer a wider spectrum of support for the community than would be possible individually.
We are seeing more and more grant-giving organisations requesting evidence of joint-working which we believe is a very positive and can open up many more possibilities.
The Fed looks forward to future opportunities to lead on partnerships of this nature with other organisations within the Jewish or local community.
For the community this award is great news meaning that whether you’re a tiny tot or an older people who needs help with bathing, there’ll be an option on the menu for you.”
Endorsing Lucy’s message Mark Adlestone, OBE DL, Chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region. added
“The Jewish Representative Council (JRC) is delighted that The Fed, Maccabi and MJCC have joined forces to obtain much needed funds.
This will enable them to work together to care for vulnerable and isolated members of our community. We envisage working with all organisations across our diverse community to ensure this collaborative approach is replicated elsewhere so we do not waste valuable resources”.