Balanced Lives Peterborough receives Tesco grant

Action for Elders Trust’s Balanced Lives project to benefit local community.

Care home residents in Peterborough get fit and active with Tesco grant.

Action for Elders Trust’s Balanced Lives project to benefit the local community.

Place: Werrington Lodge, Baron Court, Peterborough. PE4 7ZF.

Attended by James Lewis, CEO Action For Elders, Katie Dean of Groundwork UK and older beneficiaries telling their inspirational stories…

Older person’s charity Action For Elders plans to improve the lives of residents at Werrington Lodge Care Home with Balanced Lives, an innovative programme to enhance health and wellbeing. Werrington Lodge is currently home to 60 residents, many with health issues.

The weekly programme is also open to older neighbours of Werrington Lodge who’d like to improve their health and wellbeing.

Through local votes, the project has been awarded a grant from Tesco’s Bags of Help Community Grant Scheme, which is run in partnership with environmental charity Groundwork.

Anne Faulkner (Action For Elders’ Development Director) said: “In Peterborough, we have identified an urgent need to address a forgotten community of older people who, without support, can lose hope, independence and self-worth. We are starting to see a vibrant community emerging, with some residents being able to stand for the first time in years. Tesco’s Bags of Help grant has now made it possible to take our programme to the next stage.”

Alec Brown (Tesco’s Head of Community) said: “Bags of Help contributes funds to community projects up and down the country and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers voting in their local stores. We’re looking forward to seeing more projects brought to life.”

The Balanced Lives Programme currently runs all over the UK and is aiming to expand in the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire area.

For Further Information contact:

John Coleman, Communications Director
Action for Elders Trust

Tel: 07768 478 446

About the Balanced Lives programme

Over 12 months, we expect to engage 30 residents, staff and older neighbours in our weekly groups and to achieve the following impact:

• Enhanced physical strength and mobility
• Improved mental wellbeing and resilience
• Reduced social isolation and loneliness

The programme will combine movement and exercise with caring conversations offering holistic support. Participants will be individually assessed and a personalised plan created to suit their wellbeing needs.

Funding from Tesco Bags of Help will contribute to the costs of a Physical Mobility Facilitator who will run weekly sessions at the home, supported by care home staff and volunteers.

To find out more about the weekly group, please contact Action for Elders at info@actionforelders.org.uk, or telephone 030 330 30132.

About the Tesco – Bags of Help scheme

So far Bags of Help has awarded over £71 million to more than 23,000 local community projects.

Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants celebrates 100 years of great value for customers and communities by allowing customers to nominate and vote for community projects to receive funding grants of £25,000, £15,000 or £10,000.