Plymouth Guild to lead bid for new social enterprise

Plymouth City Council has chosen Plymouth Guild to lead a funding bid for a new social enterprise run by older people for older people.

The bid which is worth up to £6 million over six years is being submitted to the Big Lottery Fund’s Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better programme. It funds community-led projects that enable older people who are most at risk of social isolation and loneliness to lead more fulfilling lives.

As a co-operative Council, giving people control of the services they receive is a priority as well as supporting social enterprises. This project aims to tackle social isolation by getting older people more involved in their communities and in the design and delivery of services.

Cabinet member for Public Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Sue McDonald said: “I’m very pleased that we will be working with Plymouth Guild on this funding bid. They already run some of our advice and information services.

“There is a wide choice of activities and opportunities for an active social life in the city but we have to make sure people know about them and are given the right support so they can get involved. This social enterprise means that older people who have a great deal to offer are given the opportunity to help others.”

George Plenderleith, Chief Executive, Plymouth Guild said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as the lead voluntary sector organisation for such an important bid for the city and can bring a wealth of experience of working with socially isolated older people and project development."

Sue Benjamin, from the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group who was involved in the selection process, said: "We are pleased that Plymouth Guild has been chosen to lead a bid for a new social enterprise and look forward to working with them in the future."

The social enterprise will:

1. Set up and manage a brokerage service to help people get involved in activities and their communities
2. Increase opportunities to support people at risk of becoming isolated
3. Give older people the power to make decisions on what services the Council spends money on, to design services that reach isolated people
4. Develop an income generating business with opportunities for practical work and consultancy and possibly an apprenticeship scheme.

Council teams from a range of departments such as housing, leisure, finance, libraries and customer services will support the project.