The Harpenden Trust’s Care Fund is pleased to report that all Care Fund activities are now running as near to normal as COVID restrictions allow and there is so much going on!
Some highlights!
Over Christmas we helped a lot of Harpenden Seniors have a brighter Christmas. We were able to support the Salvation Army with a donation of £500 towards their Christmas Day lunch for lonely and vulnerable residents, along with our support of the Batford lunch – organised by Batford Memorial Hall - and our own Christmas Coffee Morning and our Christmas parcels.
Perhaps of most significance and the result of much preparatory work was the recent launch of the Wellbeing Hub with our new ‘Friend’ volunteers – incorporating our new partnership with Hertfordshire MIND - and the rapid growth we have seen with our long-established Befriending. Together these have prompted a rethink on how best to manage the Trust’s wider involvement in wellbeing in the town via a new central point of contact. The new Wellbeing Hub has already taken a total of 45 direct referrals from the Social Prescribers and a further 28 have come via MIND. Our Wellbeing ‘Friends’ continue to introduce these referrals to various activities and groups that are available through this initiative.
In addition, we recently partnered with Harpenden Town Council and the Salvation Army to reopen the Memory Lane Café (for those living with dementia and their families), which has so far shown great success for the chat and the use of games and activities. Also starting shortly is the Frazzled Café, where we will offer support for those struggling and where “It’s okay not to be okay” and to come and let it all out with us! See our ‘News’ website for more details for these activities and for any arrangements to book.
A number of other wellness initiatives are in the pipeline for 2022 and we will report on later in the year. Befriending remains very busy, having seen a large increase in its service over the past year and has been active in recruiting new volunteers.
The first Harpenden Trust Seniors Fair is set to take place on Tuesday, 5 April 2022, with the Eric Morecambe Centre hall booked as a venue; details will be published in the Spring edition of Forum.
Seniors’ Outings have now run two trial mini-trips to Dunstable Downs using the Harpenden Hopper Service; both were a huge success with our clients. We are in the planning phase for 2022 trips, which promises to be a busy year, but have also secured two dates for 2022 Tea Parties for those who cannot travel.
There has been a positive recovery in hall bookings and with the latest COVID news appearing more encouraging we are starting to see more regular hirers return. Party bookings continue to be popular, with a much higher proportion of people opting for exclusive use of the Trust Centre (both halls).
Nick Luckett - Chair, Care Fund
14 February 2022