Community organisation gets a boost with £100,000 funding

Adrian Doran, Head of Barclays NI with Margaret Gallagher and LCC Chief Executive Pat McGurn.

A FERMANAGH community organisation has received a £100,000 donation from Barclays 100x100 UK Covid-19 Community Relief Programme to deliver the ‘WEST Living Well Programme’.

In April, Barclays announced a £100m community aid package to support charities that are helping people and communities most impacted by Covid-19.

£10m of this funding has been donated through its 100x100 UK Covid-19 Community Relief Programme, with Lakeland Community Care being one of 100 UK charities each receiving a donation of £100k, allowing their important work to continue.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Lakeland Community Care has continued to provide vital domiciliary care across the Fermanagh and Omagh District, adapting its services to support the most vulnerable in the community.

Working on the frontline, it saw first-hand the impact of the pandemic on older people and those suffering from illness or disability. In response, the charity wanted to help those who are struggling.

Lakeland Community Care was chosen by a selection committee for the meaningful work they are doing through the WEST Living Well Programme, which has the overall purpose of supporting vulnerable people who are marginalised, living alone and experiencing acute isolation in the Fermanagh and Omagh District to live well through the continuing challenges of the pandemic.

More than 400 vulnerable people affected by the pandemic will receive support through the WEST Living Well Programme, which will run for a six-month period from October, providing nutritious meals and social engagement resource packs delivered directly to people in their own homes.

Together with providing healthy food every week and stimulating activity packs, beneficiaries will be given help with other issues or challenges they may be facing.

Pat McGurn, Chief Executive of Lakeland Community Care Limited, said: “Our organisation is delighted to be a recipient of a £100,000 donation from the Barclays 100x100 UK Covid-19 Community Relief Programme, to operate the WEST Living Well Programme.

“This funding will enable us to deliver direct and timely support to vulnerable persons in our community. The programme will be a life-line for beneficiaries, helping them to stay healthy and connected to their community, reducing concerns and anxiety of both themselves and their families, many of whom feel helpless at this time due to the impacts of Covid-19.

“We are extremely grateful to Barclays for this funding boost, which will enable Lakeland Community Care and our partners to provide practical support to those who need it most in our community at this time.”

Adrian Doran, Head of Barclays Northern Ireland, said: “This crisis has had an unprecedented impact across the UK and we know this is an incredibly challenging time for many in Northern Ireland.

“By reaching those most in need of support, local charities, such as Lakeland Community Care, have played a vital role in this crisis, to date, and continue to do so.

“At Barclays, we are doing everything we can for our customers, clients and colleagues to help them through this pandemic.

“We hope that the donations we are making to charities in Northern Ireland, including to Lakeland Community Care, will allow them to amplify their vital work and support more people as the crisis develops.”

To roll out the programme, Lakeland Community Care is working collaboratively with the Western Health and Social Care Trust, Fermanagh Rural Community Network, South West Age Partnership and OAK Healthy Living Centre.

The partner organisations will identify the most vulnerable persons living within the Fermanagh and Omagh District to receive essential support through this programme, and will work together to ensure that other required support interventions can be put in place.

For further information on the WEST Living Well Programme, or to request that you, a family member or a member of your local community be considered as a potential beneficiary, contact Lakeland Community Care Ltd. at 028 6638 6934, or email: mail@lakelandcare.org.uk.