SCF Annual Review 2022-23
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14 <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>2022</strong>/<strong>23</strong><br />
Below:<br />
Wells Dementia Action<br />
Alliance and the Lawrence<br />
Centre shared a stand<br />
at the Wells leg of the<br />
Somerset Dementia<br />
Roadshow.<br />
Our Festive Fund small grants<br />
help local groups come<br />
together for a community<br />
Christmas meal, reducing<br />
loneliness and spreading<br />
warmth and cheer<br />
through food, fun<br />
and friendship<br />
around the<br />
festive period.<br />
Supporting<br />
older people<br />
in our<br />
communities<br />
Somerset has an ageing population.<br />
The 2021 Census shows us that<br />
134,000 people, 30,000 more than in<br />
2011, are now of retirement age. This<br />
means that it’s more important than<br />
ever that we keep supporting groups<br />
that help vulnerable older people now,<br />
and help make sure they can be there<br />
to support more older people in the<br />
years to come.<br />
Among many grants to support<br />
older people in our communities this<br />
year were three for Dementia Action<br />
Alliance groups. These groups, in<br />
Langport, Minehead and Wells, are<br />
all very different. But a common<br />
thread that runs through them all is<br />
making sure their local community is<br />
dementia-friendly – that people with<br />
dementia feel understood, supported<br />
and respected.<br />
Our long-running, award-winning<br />
Surviving Winter appeal helps many<br />
older people across our county, this<br />
year supporting 819 older people<br />
experiencing fuel poverty. Thanks to<br />
the generous support of our many<br />
loyal donors, this year we were able<br />
to use some of our Surviving Winter<br />
funds to pilot a new initiative to help<br />
poorer older people reduce their bills.<br />
Through this scheme, we awarded<br />
£100,000 to Burnham & Weston<br />
Energy, which will lead a group<br />
of local charities to do two things.<br />
Firstly, they will provide advice to<br />
help households navigate the energy<br />
market, understand their bills, use their<br />
heating systems more efficiently, and<br />
access financial support. Secondly,<br />
they will offer practical support to<br />
help households make their homes<br />
more energy efficient. Alongside our<br />
Surviving Winter appeal we continued<br />
to run our Festive Fund, offering small<br />
grants to help local groups come<br />
together for a community Christmas<br />
meal, reducing loneliness and<br />
spreading warmth and cheer through<br />
food, fun and friendship around the<br />
festive period.
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