Bluebird Care launches Community Grant to support charity projects improving lives of older people
Published: 05/04/2019
Home and Live In Care provider, Bluebird Care has awarded grants of £250 to two very worthy projects, both helping to improve the quality of life for older people in Oxford. They are the beneficiaries of a new community grant scheme which was launched at the end of 2018.
Home and Live In Care provider, Bluebird Care has awarded grants of £250 to two very worthy projects, both helping to improve the quality of life for older people in Oxford. They are the beneficiaries of a new community grant scheme which was launched at the end of 2018.The Oxfordshire Volunteer Befriending Service (OVBS) provides unpaid family carers in Oxfordshire with a regular break from their 24 hour role. Many carers are looking after a partner with dementia. Providing such 24 hour support is not only tiring but emotionally exhausting. A break for even a couple of hours, enables every carer to relax, make time for themselves, knowing their loved one is in good hands while they are apart.
A regularly requested wish from carers is to have a volunteer to accompany their loved one to ‘Singing for the Brain’ meetings. The OVBS has struggled to fulfil this wish as they rely on volunteers to transport, accompany and care for people who attend the singing meetings. Bluebird Care Oxford has stepped in to help the OVBS by awarding them £250 to to cover volunteer transport costs, This means more people can join their local Singing for the Brain session and carers may have the break they so derserve and desperately need.
Elaine Gilbert, Volunteer Gilbert at OVBS said;
“The OVBS relies on voluntary donations to fund our important work. We are very grateful to Bluebird Care for their support. This grant will help us to continue to give unpaid family carers a break from their vital role while their loved one enjoys time away with ‘Singing for the Brain”. This break helps carers recharge their batteries and enjoy some quality time themselves.”
The second grant was awarded to the Museum of Oxford Engagement team, to help them launch a new social interaction project called Tea and Talk. The museum is committed to providing high quality creative and social activities for older people in Oxford. Responding to feedback from visitors, they want to attract more over the age of 65. They have launched an informal tea and talk event which will enable older residents to visit the museum, make new friends and feel part of the community. The Bluebird Community Grant would be used to fund refreshments and transport costs for people living within and outside Oxford.
Sarah Levete, Engagement Officer at the Museum of Oxford said;
“The Tea and Talk project evolved from conversations we had with older residents who had visited the museum. People want to visit the museum and enjoy all the lovely artefacts we have on display, but it can be hard to arrange when you are living on your own.
Tea and Talk gives older residents the opportunity to enjoy the museum but as important, meet new people and make friends. We really appreciate the generosity of Bluebird Care for giving us the grant to launch this new project and wanted to say a big thank you”.
Robert Mezo, Bluebird Care Director, said,
“We are very pleased to support these two most worthwhile projects. Projects like Tea and Talk and the work that OVBS does to give a carers a break, has a real impact on the quality of life of older people in Oxfordshire. We were only too happy to help out both groups and ensure they continue work which brings such joy to not only older members of our community but to their families also.”
Bluebird Care provides a range of home and live in care services from one or more 30-minute visits a day to longer companionship calls, overnight care and 24-hour live-in care. All their services are designed to ensure that people can stay safely in their own homes and offer realistic alternatives to residential care.
Bluebird Care Oxford will be running further grant schemes in the future. For more details or to request an application form, please contact Michael Auton on 07862 253514 or email michaelautonconsultancy@gmail.com.
A cheque was presented to the Oxfordshire Volunteer Befriending Service and the Museum of Oxford on Wednesday 27th March.
Present for the photograph– Rob Mezo, Director (Bluebird Care), Mrs Elaine Gilbert, Volunteer Co-ordinator, OVBS and Sarah Levete, Engagement Officer (Older People) Museum of Oxford.
For more details about Bluebird Care visit www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/oxford
