Winter support is available to anyone who needs it across the borough.
Copeland Borough Council’s social inclusion team have been working with partners to ensure that anyone who needs support can access services quickly and easily.
The Social Inclusion programme enables the council to improve opportunities for residents to enable them to partake in society and live healthy, fulfilling lives. This is possible through collaboration with third sector partners, statutory organisations, and funders.
Emma Williamson, Social Inclusion and Community Resilience Team Leader, said: “The winter period brings many challenges for families and in particular older people. The rise in utility costs, additional costs around for essential items such as food and housing costs as seasonal work may end and the additional costs of children being on holiday from school and Christmas puts additional stress on families.
“The council’s message is clear; that there is help available and that no one should be faced with the choice to eat or heat their homes.”
To help people understand the support available and how to access it, mayor Mike Starkie has hosted two Winter Support podcasts which have been shared on his social media pages. Within the podcasts, he speaks to organisations that can offer the help that may be needed.
Mr Starkie said: “It is really important that people know that they can get help and that they know where to find it. We have a dedicated social inclusion team here at the council who already help hundreds of people and families in the borough every year.
“The demand for support increases during the winter months. Nobody should be suffering and struggling. There are many of our partner organisations in Copeland providing support out there to make sure you have heating and food help if you need it.
“The podcasts are a chance for the organisations to talk more in-depth about what they can offer and how you can access the services.”
Social prescribing is one of the key projects delivered directly by the council. There are 65 groups and services registered onto the council’s Social Prescribing Directory offering 79 services.
Between October 2020 and August 2021 there were 253 new referrals engaged with the programme, 139 were self-referrals.
Access to all the providers and support mentioned within the podcast can be found on the Social Prescribing directory here: Social inclusion | Copeland Borough Council.
The Mayor’s podcasts can be found on his social media pages.
