Unity, a Test Valley charity, is celebrating a successful grant application from the Big Lottery Fund this week with a grant award of £45,648.
The funding will help Unity to build upon the highly successful Test Valley Community Helpline run in partnership with Test Valley Borough Council, which not only helped in excess of 4,200 Test Valley residents but also enabled the recruitment of 4,500 volunteers to support isolated people throughout the Covid pandemic.
Digital Inclusion specialists will be recruited to work with charities and community groups not only to embrace technology but to provide digital advice, training and online fundraising support.
Recognising the need to help people who may have been shielded due to serious clinical vulnerabilities or may still need to take extra care due to health implications, Unity will develop an online social prescription/signposting service too. For those who may be suffering Covid 19 or carers who are working tirelessly to support isolated people, the signposting service will be a boon.
Terry Bishop, Chief Executive said, “This is a fast-moving digital era and virtual meetings are becoming the norm. Unity will take a creative approach to support not only the most vulnerable people across the Borough but also work closely with groups to help them understand the opportunities that technological advancements may bring. This is an exciting project and we are extremely thankful to have been supported once again by the Big Lottery Fund.”
