Little London Arts scoops £10K lottery grant to continue its social isolation work in Leeds

VISITS: Little London Arts can continue its social and cultural visits to places like Skelton Grange thanks to a £10,000 lottery grant.

A Leeds group which runs trips to combat social isolation will continue its vital work for another year after securing a £10,000 grant.

Little London Arts, which takes people aged 50 to 91 on cultural and social outings in Leeds and beyond, got the money from The National Lottery Community Fund.

David Newell, from the Little London Arts management committee, said: “Little London Arts is immensely proud and grateful to be a recipient of funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. This will enable the continuation and expansion of our cultural and social visits scheme. We have established a vital link between well-being and community engagement, particularly with the hugely diverse opportunities to engage with arts in the city.

“Yet there is another purpose as well, the notion of not just experiencing contemporary culture, but also able to exchange experiences of having engaged with Leeds’ rich cultural history that many of our participants will have grown up with. These shared memories and experiences can be passed on down to new generations and living history preserved. We would like to thank all those who have participated in the scheme so far and our partners who have contributed so far.”

Little London Arts visit to Horticap, Bluecoat Wood Nursery, Harrogate. | Other 3rd Party

The lottery money will fund the project for a year. The visits began in September 2018 with a year’s funding through the Time to Shine initiative. The scheme has taken groups of up to 15 people on a range on different experiences.

Hannah Carey, Little London’s Arts project developer and coordinator, said: “Initially it was focussed on activities for older people, especially trying to target people who are or might be at risk of being socially isolated.

“The group is a real mixed bunch. Some of the people would definitely describe themselves as being isolated, others less so. Some people have just recently retired, so maybe they don’t feel socially isolated now but they may be concerned about what might happen in the future if they don’t keep getting out and about.”

“For a lot of them it is about having somewhere to go. It’s not just meeting as a group but having interesting places to go to that appeal to different people.”

FLASHBACK: Hannah Carey, of Little London Arts, right, at a book launch in 2014.

The group has visited a different place each month since its inception. Trips have included TVC Skelton Grange Environment Centre, The John Lewis Community Room in Leeds and Aysgarth Falls. Its most recent trip was to Anglers Country Park in Wakefield.

Hannah added: “Not everybody comes on every trip, because each trip is different and it is about offering that variety.”

She has not yet had the chance to tell group members that the Lottery funding application was successful as she only found out about it on Friday night. But she knows how thrilled people will be, given their comments about previous trips.

One participant, who was asked about the key benefits of the scheme, said: “We go to places I would find difficult to get to. I like the nice friendly atmosphere and getting to know the people on the trips, with a sort of community spirit.

ON TRACK: The cultural and social visits programme has been to a variety of locations over the last year, like Oakwell Hall in Birstall.

“I like the fact that you are out and about and living your life.”

The feedback came as the first year’s funding was about to end and there was uncertainty as to whether it would continue. One said: “I hope these days carry on as it helps a lot of people on their own.”

BACKGROUND

The National Lottery Community Fund has given £10,000 to Little London Arts’ cultural and social visits programme.

Little London Arts day trips have been to many different places. | Other 3rd Party

The social isolation project was launched in September last year with a year’s funding via the Time to Shine initiative.

The visits, to places like the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Ampleforth Abbey, were organised by Little London Arts through a contract with Leeds Community Foundation (LCF) to deliver a Time to Shine Small Funds Project.

The LCF is continuing to support the Leeds group.

A spokesman said “Leeds Community Foundation is delighted that Little London Arts can now continue this impactful work which was initially funded through the Time to Shine Small Funds programme.

“Hannah has brought many older, local people together, providing transport and opportunities for them to connect with each other and also new places, thereby helping to reduce isolation and loneliness and broaden horizons.”

The award from the National Lottery Community Fund means the trips will be able to continue and without a significant gap in service.

Little London Arts' cultural and social visits went to Ampleforth Abbey in July. Picture: Hannah Carey. | Other 3rd Party

Hannah Carey, Little London’s Arts project developer and coordinator, said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to continue our cultural and social visits.”