Lottery cash to improve mental health of Ballymoney people

Community Network's is one of 11 projects receiving grants from the Big Lottery Fund's Healthy Minds NI programme which is supporting activities to improve the mental health and well-being of people across Northern Ireland.

The project received 9,300 towards a scheme which will hook up isolated people across Northern Ireland for a chat on the phone every week, for up to an hour.

"This will be a telephone friendship group for older people who are isolated or can't get out of the house as often as they'd like," explained Anne McKinley from Community Network.

"Our organisation will be able to bring together seven or eight people every week, on the phone, with one of our facilitators on the line too, for a sort of conference call so they can all chat and get to know each other.

"We also hope the clients will be able to meet up before they join the groups, or at least get to see photos of one another, just so they can put faces to the voice.

"Although it isn't a helpline as such, our facilitators will be able to signpost people to advice if they need it. If a group wants to discuss a particular topic we can even arrange for an expert to join in their conference call for one of the sessions.

"This is such a simple idea when you think that nearly everyone has a phone in their home now. What the scheme has highlighted for me is the sheer number of people who can't get out of the house to make friends for whatever reason. Their isolation isn't always because they're older or live in the country."

However, Ballymoney pensioner Jean, who's asked us to change her name, has lived alone in a rural area outside the town since her husband died almost four years ago.

"I had already lost my first husband but my second husband and I were married for about 10 years. However, because of ill health I nursed him for the last five years of his life and as a result of that I just lost contact with my friends.

"I was really only ever out of the house to get shopping and then it was back as quickly as I could make it for I couldn't leave him – and we had no home helps or anything," she said.

"My family are very supportive and do all they can but I still just get very, very lonely. I had one friend who used to ring me every week but she's 97 and has recently gone into a home so I miss that phone call too.

"I do get a bit low sometimes. It's been a tough time. I lost four close relatives in the space of just two years. Sometimes I find myself thinking back to what I was doing this time last year two years ago. My family tries to encourage me to think about the future but it can be hard some days.

"My husband had Alzheimer's and a series of strokes before I finally had to make the decision that he should go into a home."

In fact, the decision was made for Jean after her husband fell in the bathroom as she struggled to get him ready for bed. "It took the two ambulance men who came all their strength to get him lifted and I'd been trying to cope with it all myself," she recalled.

Jean though believes the telephone befriending service will help her make new friends.

"I love knitting those blankets for children's charities. I'm hoping I'll maybe meet up with someone who shares an interest in knitting or crafts. You never know, we might even be able to go for a coffee some day!" she added.

Frank Hewitt, the Big Lottery Fund's NI Chair, said: "The Healthy Minds programme is supporting activities at the heart of local communities. Improving people's mental health and well-being can have a positive impact on family life, work and social life – the community as a whole.

"I am delighted to be announcing these grants which will make a major difference to the lives of many people. I am also delighted that we are partnering with the BBC's Headroom NI mental health campaign to highlight the issue and ensure as many groups as possible know about Healthy Minds and can apply for funding."

The Big Lottery Fund's Healthy Minds programme is a partner of BBC NI's headroom campaign which aims to promote good mental health and well-being in communities across Northern Ireland. To find out more go to www.bbc.co.uk/headroomni