New funding to tackle loneliness announced
More than 840 charities, community groups and grassroots organisations tackling social isolation have obtained a share of £4 million to tackle loneliness.
The funding is designed to help local organisations by having an annual salary of under £50,000 bring people and communities together.
As such, the grants is going to be accustomed to tackle loneliness and isolation diversely – from covering the costs of technology and equipment to create people together in a safe and secure way, to strengthening their services through training and development to supply long-term impact.
Baroness Barran, Minister for Loneliness, marked the announcement with a trip to Cultivating Community in Somerset, who have taken advantage of The neighborhood Connections Fund. Thanks to a grant worth £1502, the organisation is running a programme called ‘Planting Seeds of Connection’. The programme enables the elderly and isolated to grow plants and flowers, and whilst doing this connecting with other people, to help tackle loneliness.
Baroness Barran said: “Once we leave lockdown, it’s critical to remember that some people will remain isolated, and loneliness will not simply disappear. For this reason the federal government is dedicated to continuing to tackle loneliness like a national priority.
“The local organisations benefiting from these grants really are a powerful way of connecting small groups of people across communities in England. I’m delighted that the Local Connections Fund is giving people a chance to do things they enjoy, whilst helping tackle loneliness. It's a privilege to have worked alongside the organisations in the Tackling Loneliness Network to create our action plan, and I am certain that the commitments we’ve made is a positive step towards ending the loneliness that has blighted a lot of resides in yesteryear year.”
The Local Connections Fund is made up of £Two million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and £Two million from The National Lottery Community Fund. The 2nd round of funding for the Local Connections Fund is going to be provided by The National Lottery Community Fund and applications with this will launch in the summertime of 2021.
