Please note: this post is 52 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
Liverpool has a reputation as one of the friendliest cities in the world. Full of Scouse charm, wit, culture and history, it’s kind-hearted in its very nature and boasts communities that love and support one another through good times and bad. It’s a city that is proud, loud, tough and resilient. We are strong because we’re together.
But everyone needs support in difficult times. And during the winter, it can be even harder for older and more isolated neighbours to stay warm, active and connected.
That's why, the second year delivering our Winter Wellbeing project, Liverpool Cares aimed to find older people most in need of community during the colder months, and to connect them to younger people through our core programmes, as well as to local services and activities.
We're proud of the results, and inspired by the people we met and the new experiences they shared together this winter.
We spoke to 527 people aged over 65, leading to 616 direct interventions. These interventions included the delivery of warm items like gloves, blankets and hot water bottles to those people who felt cold in their homes, small grants of up to £100 to people struggling with rapidly changing circumstances and referrals to scores of wonderful partners across Liverpool.
But isolation and loneliness are year-round challenges, and as the current Covid-19 pandemic shows, that disconnection can lead to wider problems in the city and society. So we're also proud that, this winter, we adapted our programmes to help older and younger people stay connected in deeply disconnecting times.
We're excited to help so many of the neighbours we met this winter to build new relationships and share new experiences through those programmes. In times of challenge and change, that togetherness matters more than ever. Because we need each other.
Read the full Winter Wellbeing 2019/20 report here >>