Agenda item

The application was for £5,000.00 to provide a friendship café located in the Sherburn and Villages Community Library and Information Hub, which would deliver a weekly, two hour social opportunity for people aged 50 plus, to meet others and create new friendships.  The applicants were in attendance to present a summary of the application and answer questions from the Partnership Board.

The Partnership Board was informed that the applicants had been visiting Sherburn Library weekly, to provide support, information and advice, and also make home visits to look at people’s internet, and help them with connectivity.

In addition, a pop up café had been held at Sherburn Library over the Christmas period in 2019 to which eighteen people had attended. The applicants stated that they had seen a high rise in referrals from people aged 50 plus who said they were lonely, isolated and struggling with daily issues, and therefore it was felt there was a need in the Sherburn area for a Friendship Café.  

The applicants responded to questions from the Partnership Board in relation to the costs for the project, which were mainly for a member of staff, along with sustainability and if other funding streams had been explored.  It was confirmed that the Western CEF was the only organisation which had been approached for funding at this stage, further funding would be requested from the Parish Council. In relation to staff it was confirmed that one member of staff would be employed and that the group were actively trying to recruit volunteers to help.

In response to queries regarding Age UK Selby District, it was confirmed that it was an independent organisation with its own charity number and trustees, and had been for 36 years.

The Partnership Board thanked the applicants for attending and highlighted that consideration of the application would take place later in the meeting, and they would be notified of the decision by email.

At this point in the meeting the funding applicants left the meeting, and did not return.

Board members considered the application and agreed that the Friendship Café was a duplication of a previous funding application, as the Western CEF have already successfully funded a Friendship Café in Sherburn.  They also felt that there was no sustainability to the project and could not see how, once the funding had been spent, the project would continue.

The Board had listened with interest to the work that Age UK Selby District had done making home visits to help people with connectivity, as they felt this filled a gap in the provisions being currently offered in the area, and asked the Democratic Services Officer to make the applicants aware that they would consider a future funding application based around this.

The Partnership Board agreed to refuse the application as it was a duplication of a previous funding application of a Friendship Café in Sherburn; and there was no sustainability to the project

RESOLVED:

To refuse the application for funding for the reasons outlined above.