Shifnal and Albrighton scheme for elderly safe thanks to grant
The future of a community group which helps support hundreds of elderly people living at home has been secured.
Shifnal and Albrighton Live at Home Scheme has been handed £5,000 by members of Shifnal Town Council to allow it to continue to run activities for people in need in both areas. And town councillors have described the scheme as a 'vital' service.
The future of the group, which helps hundreds of elderly people continue to live independently at home, was in doubt after its transport was cut.
The scheme, which has been running for eight years, has more than 200 people on its books aged between 70 and 100.
The service runs weekly friendship and lunch groups at Shifnal Cricket Club but organisers said its future looked uncertain because they were going to lose the use of a wheelchair accessible minibus.
Councillor Gordon Tonkinson of Shifnal Town Council said: "There was a request at a recent town council meeting by the manager of the Live at Home Scheme for money to help operate their buses.
"They take people to hospital, doctors appointments and are used regularly by elderly people in Shifnal. The service is one of their main facilities.
"Our group in Shifnal had lost all its funding as well some members of staff.
"We've had a lot of calls because people did not want to lose the service.
"We proposed to give the scheme £5,000 out of or special circumstances fund because of the number of people it helps in Shifnal and the surrounding area.
"It's an absolutely vital service and we're happy to help it get through this rather bad patch."
About 20 people attend both the lunch club and friendship group, run by the scheme, of which 16 use the transport provided.
Rachel Powell, spokeswoman for the scheme, said many of the users could not use cars or taxis as they were disabled and needed wheelchair access.
The scheme had hired a minibus from Community Mobility Transport for more than five years, but that service was due to close because it was no longer financially viable. Live At Home was set to lose the bus on April 25 and volunteer drivers had been lined up to use their own vehicles.
A study by Shropshire's Voluntary & Community Sector Assembly also warned services offered by Citizens Advice and Headway Shropshire could be in doubt.
