VCSE Health Improvement Fund injects £645,000 into Cornish communities

Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum and the Integrated Care Board’s Health Improvement Fund injects £645,000 into Cornish Communities to tackle health inequalities.

The VCSE Health Improvement Fund has supported 68 voluntary organisations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with a total investment of £645,000 via the Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF).

The VCSE Health Improvement Fund forms part of the broader NHS Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) funding being led & managed by Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum.

The overarching principle of this fund is to enable VCSE organisations to sustain, maintain and enhance their services to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for people and communities in Cornwall, evidencing its collective potential to reduce health inequalities.

The 10-year strategy for the ICB aims to ensure people in Cornwall can Start Well, Live Well and Age Well. We know that 12.4% of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s population live in the 20% most deprived areas in England and organisations operating within these areas were encouraged to apply.

The focus of this funding was on six key topics all aiming to improve the physical and mental well-being of people of all ages across the Duchy:

• Address gaps in provision that create health and care pathways to manage pain, improve health and wellbeing, manage long-term physical and mental health conditions, improve lifestyle choices, social connections, and self-care.
• Creation of accessible grass root safe spaces.
• Increase availability of VCSE preventative services and activities which will reduce demand on primary and secondary care services.
• Breaking down barriers to accessing services or activities in the most deprived communities.
• Tackling health inequalities.
• Services that reach most isolated and at risk within communities.

Included in the 67 successful applicants were:

Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change who will use their funding to provide essential services, support and advice to their local communities which will revolve around four key areas: being heard; emergency assistance; learning; and physical improvement.

Penryn based Arts Well CIC, were awarded funding to continue to deliver workshops all across Cornwall focused on creative health and wellbeing activities including visual arts, music, and dance for people of all ages.

Cornwall Pride was successfully awarded to complete training for 11 new volunteers who will work to support members of the LGBTQ+ community.

A grant was awarded to True Butterflies Foundation who support individuals and families who have experienced domestic abuse and are looking for support to help rebuild their lives through mentoring, therapy and workshops.

Cornwall Refuge Trust received funding to help the continuation of their free therapy and counselling project – WAVES. These sessions have proven to have significant overall impact on an individual’s wellbeing; improving each client’s psychological wellbeing and confidence; allowing them to go into further education; apply for jobs; manage conflict; seek justice; and have a voice.

Cornwall Blind Association t/a iSight Cornwall received a grant to support their Sense-Ability Project which supports the most vulnerable and isolated blind and partially sighted people of Cornwall.