Active Norfolk awarded grant to tackle health inequalities
Active Norfolk are thrilled to be amongst a group of five successful bids who have been selected to receive a grant as part of the COVID recovery fund.
What is the COVID recovery fund for?
Here in the city, the COVID recovery fund money will be used to support projects, activities and initiatives. These will be initiatives aimed at addressing poor health and wellbeing outcomes which were impacted by Covid 19. The main goals are to reduce health inequalities; improve health behaviour choices and improve mental health and wellbeing.
Submitted bids were assessed by the recently established Norwich Health and Wellbeing Partnership – a group of colleagues from county and district councils, health services, wider voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations and other partners, with the city council playing a key role.
Thanks to Norwich’s share of £347,250 from the total of £2.3m worth of funding from Norfolk County Council’s public health service, five projects were successful in their bids for a slice of the money.
“The funding will enable us to continue to deliver the All to Play For project across the city… and to continue the great work it’s doing in supporting more local men with a mental health need to improve their lives.”
Sam Watts, Development Officer for Mental Health (Active Norfolk)
Who will be receiving a share of the funding?
Grants under the COVID recovery fund were awarded as follows:
- The Shoebox
- Norfolk Community Advice Network (NCAN)
- Leeway
- Active Norfolk
- Interact (Norwich City Council/local CCG)
The Norwich group will now turn its focus to the longer term sustainability of the partnership and consider possible sources of funding over the next two years.
All To Play For project
We will be using the grant from the COVID recovery fund to continue to develop and grow our All To Play For project; a socially inclusive football programme designed to help men who are struggling with their mental health.
Sam Watts, Active Norfolk’s Development Officer for Mental Health said the following: “I’m absolutely delighted we’ve been successful in receiving funding from the Norwich Health & Wellbeing Partnership.
“The funding will enable us to continue to deliver the All to Play For project over the next 12 months. It will allow us to continue the great work it’s doing in supporting more local men with a mental health need to improve their lives.
“I’m absolutely sure this funding will allow us to reach more men. It will continue to provide them with a supportive environment, a place to build relationships and a platform to gain access to wider support.”
The All To Play for project is a free programme designed to help men aged 18+ access mental health support. It is currently running in various areas across Norfolk, including Norwich, Thetford, Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn.
Read more about the All To Play For project, and how you can get involved below.