Many older people worry about dealing with the winter weather or might have financial issues that make it difficult to afford to keep their home warm. The Warm and Well in Winter project has been helping people through such difficulties by offering information, benefit checks and practical help in staying warm and healthy. Keeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds or more serious health problems like pneumonia or strokes.
Over 800 Winter Warmer packs created
Age UK Lambeth have made up over 800 Winter Warmer packs so far, to older people living in Lambeth who are vulnerable or need some extra support during the winter months. The bags include a blanket, flask, thermometer, and information and advice on how to keep warm and well.
Local businesses such as Tesco have helped by donating tins of soup which went into some of the packs. Others have helped to give out the packs to their clients, members and neighbours.
Grants to local community and voluntary groups to put on events
We have also given out 39 small grants to local community and voluntary groups to put on a wide range of fun social events with a warm and well theme. Events have included dancing, Tai- Chi, Christmas meals and tea parties. Age UK Lambeth staff and representatives from other organisations provided talks and one to one advice.
Other organisations have also come along to give advice such as Action on Energy, South London Cares, Safer Transport Police and the NHS community dieticians.
Lambeth Big Knit 2015
Generous volunteers from Lambeth and further away have been sending in wonderful knitted squares which have been sewn into blankets to hand out to older people. We have also had beautifully crafted hand knitted blankets sent in to us which have gone into winter warmer packs to help people feel cosy and warm.
We will need more blankets for next year, so if you would like to get involved by knitting squares for vulnerable older members of the community, please see the Lambeth Big Knit page.
Find out more
If you are an adult with disabilities or aged 55+ and need some advice, please call Age UK Lambeth on 020 7346 6800
You can also find out more about Age UK Lambeth, upcoming events or ways to get involved on the Age UK Lambeth website.
