A Salford charity is set to receive a share of £1.9 million of London Marathon Foundation grant funding which will be used to help older people in the city get more active.
The Salford and Trafford branch of Age UK, a charity promoting independent living and improved services for older people, is set to receive a share of funding that will be put towards activities for those aged 65 and over.
A programme of initiatives tailored to people who use the charity will be delivered by 10 Age UK’s over two years.
Bespoke one-to-one mentoring, physical activity classes and local mass participation events such as park walks will be among the initiatives available to more older people.
The Salford charity currently hosts a range of sessions, including walking football for men and women, engaging exercise classes and runs a dementia music cafe event out of Chandos Sports and Social Club in Weaste.
Emma Rose, Chief Executive Age UK Salford and Trafford said: “We are delighted to have been selected as a partner in Age UK’s new physical activity programme, funded by The London Marathon Foundation.
This investment will enable us to establish activity sessions and events to support older people across Salford to stay active, improve their health and wellbeing, and build meaningful social connections. We know that regular physical activity can make a real difference to people’s everyday lives.
We will be looking for volunteers to be part of this exciting programme and if you would like to find out more, please contact us at: agewell@ageuksalfordandtrafford.org.uk.”
The London Marathon Foundation owns London Marathon Events (LME), which organises mass participation sporting events like the TCS London Marathon.
Any surplus made by LME is gift-aided to the foundation to fund sport and physical activity initiatives that inspire activity all year round.
Mike Diaper, group funding and impact director at the foundation, said: “We’re committed to inspiring activity for people of all ages and abilities.
“From early years through to later life, we want everyone to experience the physical, social and mental health benefits that come with being active.
“Age UK truly understands the needs of older people and the barriers they can face. By working together, we’ll reach more older people in underserved communities and support them to move more and live healthier, more connected lives.”
Age UK chief executive Paul Farmer said: “We are incredibly grateful to the London Marathon Foundation for this £1.9 million investment, which represents a major step forward for Age UK’s work around physical activity.
“This partnership will enable us to build on the work already underway and develop a flagship programme that helps even more older people to become and remain active, particularly those who are currently the most sedentary.
“Crucially, this support will help us build a lasting legacy by making physical activity central to healthy ageing and ensuring more older people across the UK can experience its benefits.”
The initiatives will be delivered by Age UK in Salford and Trafford, Bradford, County Durham, Enfield, Hull and East Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Teesside, and Wolverhampton.
More information about how to participate in the new programme’s activities will be announced locally in the coming months.
The foundation’s £1.9 million funding comes from its Strategic Partnerships Fund, which supports the scaling of impactful physical activity initiatives across the UK.
Other partnerships include the expansion of junior parkrun, a free, weekly 2km community event for children aged four to 14.
More information about the Salford and Trafford branch of Age UK is available here.
