ASDA Foundation helps Ballintoy residents remain '˜young at heart'

Aiming to improve the welfare of older people living in the Ballintoy area by providing a range of services and activities, including a monthly meeting with lunch, the charity will use the funds to purchase arts and crafts materials.

Liam Reid from Young at Heart explained the impact the new supplies will have on its elderly service users.

He said: “Since my mother became involved with the group when it was set-up over fifteen years ago, Young at Heart has had a transformative impact on the lives of many older people in our local community.

“Simple things including a monthly lunch and the opportunity to participate in craft sessions allows the group members to socialise, and creates a date in the diary to look forward to.

“We would like to say a big thank-you to the Asda Foundation for this much-needed support.

“Craft materials are expensive and it is one of the most popular activities with our users.

“We all look forward to getting creative in the months ahead!”

Sheila Palmer, Asda Coleraine Community Champion, added: “I was delighted to join Young at Heart at one of its monthly lunch meetings to give them the donation.

“It was really heart-warming to see the friendships which have formed over the years as a result of the charity’s work – and clearly, the chance to connect over arts and crafts is helping to ease a sense of isolation for many of the group members.”

The Asda Foundation is a charitable corporate Foundation making independent grants throughout the UK. Their aim is to ‘transform, communities’ improving lives for people and communities in the UK both now and in the future. We fund the charitable projects and activities that have the ideas and ability to achieve change for the better.

The Foundation is funded by an annual donation from Asda together with some of the profits from Asda’s Mid Week National Lottery.

The Foundation aims to transform communities, improve lives for people and communities in the UK both now and in the future. They do this by supporting programmes that do this through Significant Community Projects, Chosen by You, Top-up Funding, Colleague Hardship Fund and our Partnerships.

The Asda Foundation board of trustees approve the allocated budget spend.