Rutland Community Spirit

Rutland Community Spirit has been in existance since April 2008 providing low-level support to vulnerable, elderly people living in the county. Through local authority funding for the first three years, the project helped over 300 people live their lives more independantly in their own homes. The project has also been responsible for establishing the electronic referral system of FIRST CONTACT RUTLAND which links in 12 agencies and assists their response to needs.
2012 sees a new era with the team benefiting from a 3-year grant from the Lottery. The intention is to work at a much more local level, ensuring those supported through the scheme have ongoing links in their own community.
Phase 2 of this well established project has the following new components:
• Establishing a team of volunteers responsible for specific villages. Supported by our home based Community Spirit Champions these volunteers will dramatically increase the capacity of the project by creating more local help in Rutland communities
• Activity Events. Once elderly people have been helped in their homes they are encouraged to take part in social activity events in their neighbourhood. Those taking part in these local activities will be encouraged to then take part in similar events but further afield. It is hoped that all these occasions will help elderly people meet with others, sharing similar interests and circumstances
• Good Neighbour Schemes. Every community has good-hearted people who automatically help their neighbours, but the aim of the Good Neighbour Scheme is to fill any gaps in this network of care in a community and to put help within reach of every resident of a community.

Contact details:
Sue Renton, Project Manager
Rutland Community Spirit
Voluntary Action Rutland
Rutland Volunteer Centre
Lands End Way
Oakham
LE15 6RB
Tel/Fax: 01572 720282
e-mail: srenton@ruralcc.org.uk

Good Neighbour Scheme now launched

The Good Neighbour Scheme, which has been developed very successfully in other parts of the country, will provide an add-on to the already very successful Rutland Community Spirit project.

Communities are invited to set up small groups within their settlements and, through each group, to identify volunteers who may be able to offer assistance to anyone needing help. These networks will be supported by the Rutland Community Spirit Team who will offer advice on a range of different aspects.

Any Parish Council or existing Community Group in Rutland that is interested in taking part in this new project is asked to make contact with Sue Renton at the Rutland Community Spirit office. Tel: 01572 720282 or email srenton@ruralcc.org.uk