£150,000 in Grants Awarded to Support Adult Health and Wellbeing

• Ten organisations share £150,000 to support the physical and mental health of Reading residents
• People assisted through community projects on behalf of Council's Adult Social Care service

Ten organisations have been awarded grants totalling £150,000 to run projects to help residents' health and wellbeing.

The Better Care Fund grants are part of the Council's Adult Social Care service's commitment to support and empower people to remain as independent as possible.

The funds are distributed by the Council's Adult Social Care service to support the life that matters to residents. This includes tackling immediate and long-term health issues as well as loneliness and mental health.

The projects include helping residents with the impact of sight loss, living with autism, the parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, or SEND, and access to health and mental health services.

They have been made possible through the Better Care Fund managed by the Council and the NHS Integrated Care Board.

Councillor Ruth McEwan, Reading's Lead Member for Education and Public Health, said:

"There is significant and excellent help and advice available to residents, which is provided in our communities by organisations that know them best.

"This is helping people remain as independent as possible in their own homes surrounded by the communities which mean so much to them, for as long as possible.

"These grants are for health and improved wellbeing, without which physical health can decline which can lead to an early introduction to adult social care."

Rachael Corser, Chief Nursing Officer for the Integrated Care Board and a member of the Reading Health and Wellbeing Board,said:

"The groups which have received grants work closely with our communities to offer services meeting local needs. We are pleased to be able to support them in their work to improve wellbeing and help people to stay healthy,"

The projects will be reviewed regularly to monitor how they are benefitting residents. Referrals to the projects are required through the Joy App managed by Reading Voluntary Action, apart from the hospital-based service where people are referred to directly.

Full list of Better Care Fund recipients:

ACRE (acrereading.org): Men-2-Men Project to improve access to health services and promote health and wellbeing among participants and their friends.

Berkshire Vision (Sight Loss Support Berkshire Vision Berkshire Vision): Part-fund the Sight Loss Support outreach service supporting visually impaired people in Reading.

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Care Board (https://bobicb.nhs.uk): Project to reduce distress, anxiety and crisis of autistic people requiring paramedic intervention and being taken to hospital by ambulance.

Mustard Tree (The Mustard Tree): Starting Point Navigators provide support to young people aged 11-25 admitted to A&E and wards of the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Parenting Special Children (Home Page - PSC (parentingspecialchildren.co.uk)): Specialist support for families and children with a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, or SEND, including early life trauma by Reading-based charity.

RABBLE Theatre (RABBLE Theatre): Programme of activity which is financially and physically accessible and encourages positive mental and physical health supporting a healthy life.

Reading Gateway Church, Parish Nurse (https://www.readinggateway.church/parish-nurse/): Help fund another nurse to combat loneliness and improve health and wellbeing, support those with mental health issues with health advice, and signpost to additional assistance. Establish a new garden wellbeing project.

Mencap, Family Health Advisor (www.readingmencap.org.uk) or 0118 966 2518): Aim to help clients maintain and improve their physical and mental health by providing information, advice, casework, and practical support.

Refugee Support Group (Refugee Support Group - Berkshire's Refugee Charity): Mental Health awareness and activities programme to support refugees and asylum seekers in Reading to engage in social and wellbeing activities, build networks and get to know the local area.

Torch (Torch Help Hub - A Helping Hand from Local Churches (torchhub.org.uk)): Set up a new service to appoint a new Parish Nurse to focus on one or more of the areas of need and deprivation in West Reading.

For more information about all services available in the area visit Reading Services Guide.