Young people raise the spirits of elderly residents

A GROUP which cares for its community has got a £4,400 boost.

Local Community Interest Company Inspiring Community has been awarded £4,400 to work with young people on an #iwill project.

It’s already making a difference, funding young people to go into the Ward Court Retirement Housing Complex in Rastrick.

The #iwill campaign aims to increase participation in youth social action by 50% by 2020.

Emma Woods-Bolger, assistant director at the Community Foundation for Calderdale, said: “The project is already supporting young people. Three of the participants recently completed their first volunteering project at Ward Court Retirement Housing Complex - Abbi, Mackenzie and Aimee did a great job of preparing food and serving the tenants a pie and pea tea and pudding, followed by a quiz. “

The oldest, Nellie Berry, 102, said: “They did a good job and we all enjoyed it and we would like them back again.”

Inspiring Community say the project is about raising young people’s selfesteem, accrediting them through the AQA unit awards for the work they do volunteering within their community.

Funding has come from the Big Lottery Fund and Department of Culture, Media & Sport, each investing £20m seed funding over four years to create the #iwill fund.