New hyper-local service will help those affected by loneliess and isolation
A NEW one-to-one service to support those affected by loneliness and isolation has been launched in parts of the Dearne.
The service will cover communities including Darfield, Wombwell, Elsecar and Hoyland and is being financed by councillors who represent those areas.
Age UK Barnsley has been enlisted to provide the service, which will target those who will benefit from direct help.
It will run in tandem with supported offered by community groups, which again have backing from the South Area Council, a localised part of Barnsley Council.
Age UK Barnsley was selected to provide the service from a series of bidders, and were seen as the best option.
Their contract runs for two years, with a break-clause after the first 12 months, and will cost more than £34,000 a year to operate, and it will have two workers involved.
It is now hoped that the service will be able to identify, and help, more people who have previously not been receiving help.
Early referrals have already been made to the service, councillors have been told.
The second element uses a £30,000 pot of money to provide grants to support work by community groups.
They include Darfield Community Centre, which is running Winter Wellbeing sessions and Wombwell Luncheon Club, which has been awarded £450 to provide a Christmas lunch for its members.
Councillors were told the Reds in the Community organisation had made two £5,000 applications, but a new plan was under discussion which could see the two amalgamated.
That could involve running two alternative events, one around physical activity, the other a drop-in session, to gauge which users preferred.
Lisa Lyons, South Area Council’s area manager told councillors: “We are still having conversations with other community groups, to look at whether they can deliver something.
“There were a couple of applications which didn’t quite meet the criteria; we have gone back to have further conversations.
“If any groups are looking to apply, we can provide support with that,” she said.
Although there had been some interest from groups covering the Hoyland Milton council ward, there had been no applications from that area, she said.