Council funding boosts Hesketh Bank & Tarleton Helpers in reducing loneliness and isolation
Hesketh Bank & Tarleton Helpers, a local charity dedicated to reducing loneliness and isolation in the community, has received a significant boost of nearly £17,000 in funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) thanks to West Lancashire Borough Council.
This support has enabled the charity to recruit a Volunteer Coordinator in order to expand its services, attract new volunteers, and launch new initiatives which have further enriched the lives of residents.
The charity which runs vital services such as a weekly Lunch Club, a Befriending Service, and the "Memories are Made" musical dementia support group, has been able to recruit an additional 16 volunteers across various projects.
With the funding, Hesketh Bank & Tarleton Helpers has launched a second Dementia-Friendly Choir in Banks. The choirs are a lifeline for those living with dementia with memberships growing by 152% since the grant was received.
Other planned community projects include a special meal with entertainment for schoolchildren during the October half-term, art sessions for children at Tarleton Library beginning in the October half-term and an art exhibition at Tarleton Library in November.
Councillor Melissa Parlour, lead member for UKSPF, Economic Regeneration and Green Growth, said: "We are delighted to support Hesketh Bank & Tarleton Helpers through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Their work is crucial to tackling loneliness and social isolation in our communities, and this funding has enabled them to reach even more residents, delivering real impact."
The charity has also supported local groups by funding equipment and room rental for a Child Health Clinic, providing materials for The Friends of Tarleton Library’s craft session at the July Scarecrow Festival and donating to Oakgate Close Residents’ Group to create flowerbeds at a Tarleton sheltered accommodation.
Vivien Mumford, Chair of Hesketh Bank and Tarleton Helpers, said: “Thanks to this funding, we have been able to expand our services considerably and embark upon a range of exciting new projects.
“For the first time we have been able to offer support to residents of North Meols, an area of high deprivation.
“We are especially delighted that our Befriending Service now has the capacity to assist substantially more older people who are lonely or socially isolated – this being an acknowledged problem locally.”
Thanks to the funding support, the Befriending Service has seen an increase of 69% in the number of befrienders, with 11 new volunteers joining the team. This has enabled the charity to support 22 additional older people who are lonely or socially isolated. The charity’s Dementia-Friendly Choirs have grown with a total of 73 new members across both Tarleton and Banks.
The Community Café has also grabbed interest, with weekly attendance rising by 20%. With on-site participation, the café has started delivering meals to those unable to attend in person, helping expand its reach and ensuring that vulnerable residents remain connected to the community.
For more information about Hesketh Bank & Tarleton Helpers and opportunities to get involved, please contact heskethbankandtarletonhelpers@gmail.com
A total of 25 community projects will receive funding to empower our communities, supporting the Borough's key priorities and delivering services and facilities for residents across West Lancashire with funding coming from the Council’s £1.2million Communities and Place investment, and £1.3m investment from the Community Infrastructure Levy. When combined, this represents among the largest ever investments in community projects in West Lancashire by the borough council.
