North West Ageing Well Together

The lead partner organisation for the North West Ageing Well Together project is Dennett Interchange, which is based in Donemana and the launch is planned for October 1, in The Everglades Hotel at 12pm, and will be followed by a finger buffet. A number of speakers are planned, including the chairman and Mayor of Strabane District Council and Derry City Council, respectively, as well as the Chief Executive of Age NI, and a representative of the Big Lottery Board. It is expected that around 80 delegates will attend the event.

North West Ageing Well Together is a cross-sector partnership, the aim of which is to deliver a range of services designed to improve health and well being of vulnerable older people in the Strabane and Londonderry council areas.

Objectives of the partnership include creating a partnership which will support older peoples’ groups, to engage with other groups complementing their work for older people and communicate our work effectively in the area, as well as to work jointly with key organisations to benefit older people and to be one recognised voice for older people.

Through the partnership it is hoped to challenging and influencing others reduce isolation for vulnerable older people, improving social, mental and physical health and to support groups providing services and activities to older people be sustainable.

The project received £488,710 from the Big Lottery, and has a total project budget of £527,710.

Positions created as a result of the project include a project manager, administrator, befriending co-ordinator, handyperson, advice officer and minibus driver.

The ‘delivery partners’ for the project are: The North West Volunteer Centre, Age NI, Strabane Community Project, Londonderry and Strabane CAB offices, Rural North West Community Support, Easilink Community Transport and Dennett Interchange.

The ‘strategic partners’ are: ‘Derry City Council, Maydown Community Association, Ally Foyle, U3A Foyle and Strabane, CAWT, North-West Community Network, Strabane and District Caring Services, Strabane and District Women Together, Strabane Council, Strabane U3A, Strabane District Council, Independent Older Person, Health Improvement, Public Health Agency, APEX Housing Association and FOLD, the Western Local Commissioning Group, Fountain Street Community Development Centre, Derg Valley Care and the Old Library Trust