Today I met with Suzanne Parry-Price, British Red Cross Community Connector for Torfaen to discuss their Connecting Communities Scheme.
Connecting Communities is there to support adults who feel that they have nowhere to turn, during an initial period of 3 months, they aim to help a person to feel better connected and able to enjoy the benefits of being more involved in the local area.
Everything will be built by enabling people to realise the things they’d like to achieve by offering:
Support tailored to your needs
Rediscover your interests
Rebuild your independence
By joining you in local activities that match your interests, it will enable you to meet new people who like doing the same things, drawing on the confidence and independence you’ve built, you’ll have the chance to build new friendships that last!
You’re not alone, over 9 million adults across the UK regularly feel lonely, people of all ages and walks of life.
During our working lunch, I decided to take the plunge for the ward and discuss starting a pilot scheme at the Millennium Hall, as it is within walking distance, on a bus route and has ample parking.
I’m looking to start a session in August during a morning to gauge interest.
I’ll be running it in a fan format, with introduction and guest speaker to talk about support at home for qualifying people (First Call) and I’ll be inviting the Garnsychan Partnership along to see if we can link in with any of their projects.
I’m very excited about this scheme, as loneliness is an awful thing.
Anything I can do to help people in this situation as a Councillor, it’s something we need to take head on.
I’ll be releasing more information once I fix a date and time to book the venue and meet up with the Garnsychan Partnership.
I look forward to working with the British Red Cross on this initiative as your Councillor for the Ward.
Abersychan Ward 