Service name: Linked in and Active
Service description:
Open Age delivers Linked in and Active, with funding from H&F Council, working to tackle isolation among the borough's over 50s by improving their health and well-being via one-to-one help and group sessions, helping them keep busy and involved in the community, and enabling them to continue doing the things they love while living independently.
Funded until:
31 March 2025
Annual funding:
£38,000
In the past year...
- The service has helped 31 residents over 50, with half of them coming from BME communities. More than a third strongly agreed that they had experienced a confidence boost. The service's eight volunteers delivered 720 hours of work.
Successes
- 24.5% agreed they experienced increased energy through activity and participation
- 38.8% strongly agreed they made more new friends and improved their social life
- 36.7% agreed they are more active as a result of attending Open Age sessions
Feedback
Client A is a Black British/Caribbean resident who has diabetes and high blood pressure. Since completing the EPP she has joined a number of Open Age courses including yoga, line dancing and stretch & tone. She says 'I used to have the TV on all day and my daughter told me I need to be more active. Now I'm so busy and I feel so much better'. Client A has continued to see the new friends she made at EPP and we were able to reconnect her with another participant who had missed the last class. Client A is now actively looking for a volunteering opportunity.
Looking ahead:
- Open Age is partnering with the Masbro Centre to help run regular Tuesday teas, and is working with the Iranian Association and H&F Council to offer English conversation classes to those with little or no spoken English (the classes are held in the Banim Street sheltered housing). In another project, in partnership with Queens Park Rangers in the Community Trust, walking football sessions have been developed.