GMCVO, funded by Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, has recently finalised awards for year 3 of the GM Mental Wellbeing Grants programme. The programme aims to support people from communities of identity or experience, based in Greater Manchester, that may struggle to achieve higher levels of mental wellbeing.
This case study looks at one of the GM Mental Wellbeing faith grant recipients, St Andrew's.
Who are they?
St Andrew’s is a Church which seeks to meet the needs of their local community through both religious and non-religious activities. The Church itself is an impressive Grade II* listed building in the heart of Eccles.
What do they do?
Aside from their regular religious services, St Andrew’s provide a wide-range of weekly activities. This includes a parents and carers toddler group, a community café and a dementia-friendly ‘Sporting Memories’ group. The Church also acts as a distribution centre for Salford Foodbank.
“We all enjoy coming here and having a laugh" - Participant
What is their project?
St Andrew’s received £720 from a GM Mental Wellbeing faith micro grant to hire a facilitator to deliver 12 weekly art and craft workshops. The two-hour sessions covered a different art or craft activity each week and provided a space for participants, primarily socially isolated older people and people living with long term health conditions, to learn something new whilst connecting with new and existing friends.
What impact has the project had?
This funding allowed St Andrew’s to continue delivering these much-needed workshops during an uncertain time for everyone. Participants enjoyed attending the sessions for both the activity and the opportunity to have a chat over a brew with supportive, like-minded people.
Feedback from participants:
"If this group didn’t exist we’d all be sat alone at home miserable"
"We all love coming here every week"
Find out more about St Andrew's or find them on Facebook.
Find out more about GM Mental Wellbeing Grants.
