Chesterfield community news

Ground-breaking role created at Chesterfield FC Community Trust

Mollie Ward is relishing her ground-breaking role as a young people’s physical activity link worker, based in the HUB at the Technique Stadium.

Mollie recently took on the newly-created post, which sees her working with young people aged 14 to 25 who face challenges that prevent them from reaching their full potential.

The role has been created as a result of a partnership between Chesterfield FC Community Trust and Derbyshire Voluntary Action, who have come together to create a brand new social prescribing service for young people in Chesterfield.

Connect to… @ The HUB harnesses Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s experience in running social prescribing services for older adults for the last eight years, with Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s expertise, experience and facilities in supporting health and wellbeing in the community.

Summing up her role, Mollie says: “My job is to provide a person-centred support service for young people, working with them to highlight their interests and strengths, address their challenges, and to help them make the connections they don’t feel able to make by themselves.

“The connections could be to a community-based advice or counselling service, or to something sporty, arty, creative or social. Alternatively, it could be to volunteering, or literacy support, or a combination of several of those things – all of which will give them a strong foundation, positive wellbeing, basic skills and reliable relationships.”

Her new role represents a homecoming for Mollie, who was born in Bolsover and went to Heritage School in Clowne and the sixth form at Brookfield School before gaining a degree in psychology and working in London.

She worked in mental health services during her time in the capital, helping people in supported housing following discharge from hospital.

“For complete independent living, the people I supported needed help with community reintegration and engaging in community activities because often they had complex mental health needs like psychosis, schizophrenia and personality disorders,” Mollie explains.

“My clients were people who had been very withdrawn from society and had had long stays in hospital, some lasting five to ten years.

“My experience in London transfers into this role because you’re talking person-centred care and that’s what this role is about, it’s working with a person holistically, so not just the things that are holding them back, but also the positives.”

Mollie is delighted to have been given the opportunity to take on this new challenge, saying: “I’m really honoured because it is such an exciting thing to be part of what feels like a grassroots project. We really are building this new service from the ground up.

“I’m excited to get started – to have some young people come through the door and be able to work with them and follow their stories.”

Mollie can be contacted by emailing mollie@dva.org.uk or on 07522 023571.

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Extra funding for Derbyshire community groups

An extra £50,000 is being allocated to groups in Derbyshire which are supporting local communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

Derbyshire County Council is making the money available to local community groups via the Public Health Covid-19 fund which was set up in June 2020.From helping a Chesterfield cancer support group to hold online sessions and enabling a Ripley running group to lead Covid-secure runs, a total of 34 community groups are set to benefit from the latest round of grants which were agreed by the county’s cabinet member for health and communities Councillor Carol Hart on June 3.

Councillor Hart said: “The response to the pandemic has seen many organisations across Derbyshire working tirelessly to ensure the basic needs of the most vulnerable residents are met.

“The Covid-19 fund was set up to ensure that community and voluntary organisations had enough resource to carry on with their vital work.”

So far, £185,657 has been awarded to a diverse range of Derbyshire organisations including parents’ associations, ethnic minority groups, older people’s charities and churches.

Councillor Hart added: “This additional funding will enable more groups to carry out work within their local communities.

“We’ve already seen some amazing work being carried out including food parcels for vulnerable people, a community café being set up and support for students.”

The Public Health Covid-19 Fund was set up to support voluntary and community sector organisations to help manage and reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on local communities. It also aims to help improve the health and wellbeing of local people.

Funding of up to a maximum value of £2,000 is available for constituted groups and £250 for non-constituted groups.

Applications must be linked to an existing Public Health programme, for example to support mental health and emotional wellbeing or to tackle social isolation. Find out more about the fund and how to apply on the Council’s website.

 

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New partnership launched to combat loneliness and social isolation across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire

Residents across Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover District who are feeling alone and isolated during the ongoing pandemic are being encouraged to seek support.

‘Feeling Connected’ is a partnership project led by Derbyshire Voluntary Action with the support of Chesterfield Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council, which aims to tackle social isolation in the local area.

The project has been commissioned by the Healthy North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield Health and Wellbeing Partnerships which are funded by Derbyshire County Council Public Health.

The ‘Feeling Connected’ project aims to:

• help people better understand the benefits of being socially connected
• raise awareness of existing services which support social connectedness
• identify interventions, initiatives and activities which help people to feel socially connected and which could be further supported and developed in North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield

Jacqui Willis, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Voluntary Action, said: “Most people, young and old, feel lonely from time to time. This is normal, and even healthy. It can be a prompt for action, a reminder to make contact with other people and to create or reaffirm connections.

“Where it can become a problem is if people become isolated through circumstances beyond their control, and if feelings of loneliness become entrenched, or persist for a long time.”

As well as encouraging people who may be socially isolated to seek support, the partnership is also encouraging residents to think about those in their local community who may be alone and consider how they can help them.

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Tackling social isolation and supporting our residents to overcome the impact of the pandemic is a priority for Chesterfield Borough Council and is at the heart of our Covid-19 community recovery plan.

“Many people have experienced social isolation throughout the pandemic – especially those who have limited access to technology so we’re really pleased to be supporting this project and looking into new initiatives which will help promote social connectedness for our residents.”

Councillor Alan Powell, North East Derbyshire District Council’s cabinet member for Partnership Engagement and Strategy, said: “The pandemic has affected us all, but for some people the feelings of loneliness and isolation have been greatly amplified during this time.

“We are therefore delighted to be supporting this project which will help our residents access the support they need and encourage others to think about those who are alone.”

In the spirit of connecting with others, the ‘Feeling Connected’ project has linked up with similar work which is happening in Bolsover District: ‘Connect Bolsover’ led by Bassetlaw CVS.

Bolsover District Council’s Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley said: “The situation over the past ten months has highlighted the impact of loneliness and the importance of being part of a community. Even though we have new technology, there is no substitute for human contact, having a cuppa, a biscuit and a chat.

“I believe we will see more people suffering from agoraphobia. Organisations like chit chat groups, craft classes and toddler groups play a huge part in a local community and can provide people with the boost they need if they are feeling lonely or isolated. So we are delighted to support this project within Bolsover District and the wider north east Derbyshire area.”

You can find more information about ‘Feeling Connected’ at dva.org.uk/feeling-connected and about ‘Connect Bolsover’ at bcvs.org.uk/bolsover-together

Derbyshire Voluntary Action supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Jacqui Willis, Derbyshire Voluntary Action

 

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Derbyshire Voluntary Action urges Chesterfield residents to step forward as community champions

Derbyshire Voluntary Action is urging people in Chesterfield to help their community to stay safe and protected from covid-19.

The charity and third sector support group says we all have a part to play in keeping ourselves and each other safe and protected from Covid-19 at the moment, and this newly-launched initiative makes it easier to do just that.

Jacqui Willis, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Voluntary Action, says “Looking at the latest information about coronavirus in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire, it’s clear that we would like the number of confirmed cases to be dropping much quicker than it is currently.

“We are on a plateau at the moment, which is frustrating and disheartening because we all know that the sooner the numbers come down, the sooner we can look forward to lockdown coming to an end.

“We are asking individuals, voluntary and community groups and organisations, businesses – in fact any community spirited person from any walk of life – to come forward to be a Community Champion and to share positive messages about how to stay safe and protected from the virus.”

Community Champions receive the latest information, updates and advice about Covid-19 through Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s regular e-bulletins and social media channels.

They undertake to share the information with other people in their community in whatever ways they want – in conversations, on social media, or in any other way of their choosing.

They are also encouraged to keep in touch to let Derbyshire Voluntary Action know what is and isn’t working in their community so there can be a collective approach to responding to the virus in the way that will work best in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.

For more information and to sign up as a Community Champion, visit https://dva.org.uk/community-champions/, call 01246 555908 or email info@dva.org.uk.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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