West of Scotland Housing Association's charitable subsidiary Willowacre Trust has announced it has been selected as one of only 13 organisations across the UK to receive funding from Independent Age’s Advice Boosting Fund.
Independent Age is a national charity providing support for older people facing financial hardship. It uses knowledge and understanding gained from frontline services to highlight the issues experienced by older people and to campaign for change. It supports local initiatives and charities with free impartial advice and information and grants for community organisations.
The 3-year grant, totalling £135,000, will go directly towards supporting older people facing financial hardship by enabling the expansion of Willowacre Trust’s services in Glasgow with new one-to-one advice and support initiative: Age Well - Live Well.
The Age Well - Live Well programme will provide individualised, holistic support for older people across the Glasgow area. Through in-depth ‘good conversations’, the Age Well - Live Well team will develop a support plan for every identified individual, responding not just to financial needs, but also needs for physical, practical, health and wellbeing, and community support. Where the in-house team can’t meet the identified needs, they will make referrals to partner organisations, health professionals, and social work, strengthening community ties and building networks of support. With regular check-ins provided by a friendly and familiar face, this individualised support initiative recognises that every person’s needs are different, and that by addressing these in their complexity we help older residents not just to survive – but thrive.
The Independent Age grant award will significantly increase Willowacre Trust’s capacity, helping the team reach an expected 750 new individuals over the course of the initiative, with around 90% of these not previously known to the organisation.
Robert Campbell, Director of Housing & Community Services, West of Scotland Housing Association and Willowacre Trust Board Member said of the funding: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive this funding from Independent Age. It will allow Willowacre Trust to deliver a truly transformative advice service for older people across Glasgow, reaching those most in need with tailored, in-person support that improves financial wellbeing. This investment will help our communities not just to cope, but to thrive.”
Simon Fitzpatrick, CEO of West of Scotland Housing Association said: “This project is yet another example of the amazing work that Willowacre Trust does in neighbourhoods across the West of Scotland and demonstrates what can be achieved when we engage with partners to deliver change in Scotland. We are grateful to Independent Age for their support and look forward to getting started!”
Kaye Turner, Grants and Partnerships Manager at Independent Age said: “We are really pleased to be working with Willowacre Trust as one of the 13 charities to be supported through this round of our Boosting Advice Fund. At Independent Age we understand the importance of high quality, timely advice to help improve the lives of older people experiencing financial hardship. Through our funding, we want to support local organisations, like Willowacre Trust, to reach out to older people in their areas and raise awareness of entitlements, such as Pension Credit, that we know many are missing out on. We look forward to working with Willowacre Trust over the next three years and seeing the impact our funding has made for older people in Glasgow.”
For over 50 years Willowacre Trust has provided a range of support services to WSHA tenants and their wider communities. Services currently provided by Willowacre Trust include: money and energy advice services; older people’s support services (available to all tenants over 60); emergency food aid; starter packs for those moving into a new home, digital support services and device lending library; an upcycling service, a handyperson service, and access to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library providing free books to children under 5. Willowacre Trust also manages three community hub venues around Glasgow, hosting a wide variety of events, courses, classes and activities aimed at enhancing wellbeing and encouraging community cohesion.
