Council invests in community centres across the District to support vulnerable people
Posted 1 September 2023
South Holland District Council along with its partners has agreed an extensive programme of investment and improvement works to 14 community centres across the District to better support its sheltered housing tenants.
The Council provides sheltered accommodation for older people, people with disabilities or those who are vulnerable and are capable of living independently, but who require occasional help and support.
As part of the sheltered housing service, the Council runs 14 community centres across South Holland. These communal facilities include lounges, kitchens, guest rooms and outside patios, with Housing Officers encouraging their use to tenants as an informal meeting place and for organised events.
Some elements of the improvement programme began in August, including Long Sutton Youth Shed making flower planters as well as bird and owl boxes as requested by tenants to brighten up the centres. The materials for these decorative pieces have been provided free of charge by Chosen Charity, Holbeach.
The bulk of the programme however will begin in September, with partners in the National Probation Service and Community Payback who will be giving the community centres a new lease of life by pressure washing outside patios, weeding and pruning grassed areas. The equipment needed for these works has been provided by our facility management contractors, Mitie as part of their Social Value Cashback scheme.
Furthermore, the Council will be working with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust to deliver a pilot initiative aimed at helping tenants to manage their health and wellbeing.
Finally, Lincs Digital who recently ran a successful digital outreach programme in East Lindsey, will be running a number of digital sessions in community centres across South Holland from September throughout autumn and winter, working with tenants catering to the specific digital skills they want to improve on.
The programme of investment and improvement works has been organised following an extensive consultation with sheltered housing tenants by the Housing team to ensure that tenants can have their voice heard on what they would like to see.
Councillor Tracey Carter, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities and Operational Housing said: "This is a fantastic project which will help the more vulnerable members of our community to feel not only listened to, but also provide them with revitalised community centres to encourage them to meet and socialise with other tenants, friends and family."
"I'd like to thank everyone involved, from our Housing team at SHDC and all our various partners from across the private and public sectors; I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the programme, as I'm sure our tenants are too."
To find out more about the Council's sheltered housing service, please visit https://www.sholland.gov.uk/shelteredhousing