Community projects which help people find care and support networks close to their home are being supported by a new initiative.
Somerset Council is investing in local projects using funding from the national Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF). This is a £42.6 million initiative by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) which aims to improve the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of adult social care.
After successfully winning a bid for £616,000 of funding from the ARF last year, the council is working with Somerset Community Foundation to invest in neighbourhood plans to make areas great places to grow older or live with disabilities.
In the latest round of funding, ten community groups and one Town Council were awarded grants. All the successful applicants have subsequently joined together to form a new collective called ‘Somerset Cares Alliance’.
‘Wincanton Cares’ is one such organisation. Founded in 2022 as a response to the closure of a local care home, ‘Wincanton Cares’ has successfully established a network of community hubs, a bimonthly newsletter and support groups for paid and unpaid carers. Find out more on their website: https://wincantoncares.org/.
Jacky King, who set up ‘Wincanton Cares’, said:
At Wincanton Cares, we recognise that there are significant challenges facing adult health and social care. We are convinced that the most sustainable way forward is through a model of care that is rooted in local communities.
As local people, we know our areas best and can implement timely and cost-effective support.
‘Wivey Cares’ is another. Based in Wiveliscombe and its ten parishes, this local initiative connects people with nearby self-employed carers (also called Micro-Providers). Watch this video to find out more. Or visit their website here.
The ARF’s goal is to help more places use these kinds of local projects, and to make sure they can keep going on their own in the future. In Somerset, it is particularly focused on maintaining and promoting sustainable local infrastructure in areas such as unpaid care, volunteering and good neighbourhood programmes.
Councillor Sarah Wakefield, Lead Member for Adults Services, Housing and Homelessness at Somerset Council, said:
By investing directly in our communities, we are not only supporting what’s already happening; we’re also helping to build and sustain a strong local network.
By working this way, we’re helping our communities to have the tools and resources they need to create local support networks and services so people can more easily find the care and help they need close to home.
