Southway Housing Trust are based in South Manchester and manage about 6000 homes. They hold three to five Winter Warmth events every year to give people over 50, and not just their tenants, easy access to information about keeping warm in winter. These events provide a range of advice and services including nutrition and exercise information, energy efficiency, and advice on local voluntary sector groups which offer activities and support.
At the event on 24th November at Old Moat Community Centre in Withington, there were 10 people working at the event including Southway staff, and benefit and health advisors who were available to answer questions. There were a number of volunteers and all people attending were told about volunteering opportunities they could take up. A hot lunch was provided and everyone who came along received a Winter Warmth Pack which included soup, hot drink sachets, biscuits, a thermometer, blanket and a range of information booklets.
The benefits of these events are that they can help people to stay warm, save money, be more informed about activities in their area and it helps to build relationships in communities with older people feeling more connected. They attract 30 to 40 people at each event and are part of a wider programme of Southway Age Friendly activities. Cathy Ayrton, Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Project Officer at Southway says “50% of our tenants are aged over 50 and these events are very much about supporting them to keep warm and connecting with others in their area. Volunteers are an essential part of these events and we encourage everyone attending to take up other volunteering opportunities within their community.”