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Village Care Programme

Action in rural Sussex develop and support rural communities, groups and organisations to provide health, well-being and social care services and activities. We work with local communities, statutory and voluntary agencies to develop and support new and existing health and well-being projects.

The focus of the programme is to help combat isolation and social exclusion and promote self help.We also help vulnerable people and carers to maintain independence and lead a healthy, fulfilling and socially rewarding life.

There are many issues that could affect the more vulnerable members of rural communities including the lack of shops, health and leisure services, insufficient availability of public or community transport and difficulty in finding or accessing information and advice.

These issues particularly affect the older members of our rural communities and their carers. In terms of population trends, Sussex, as a whole, has the greatest proportion of people over 65 years of age of any County in England and that proportion is expected to increase over the next decade.

Through community development, we work with local communities to:

• Identify and communicate the needs of local people
• Facilitate the development of groups, activities and organisations to achieve local solutions
• Support local communities and activists running and developing health and well-being activities

The Village Care Information Pack and toolkit provides a range of information, advice and guidance for community groups and organisations. Please see links below to obtain a copy.

Through working closely in partnership with statutory and voluntary agencies, groups, networks and organisations, we work to:

Exchange information and good practice

Explore and promote inter-agency collaboration and joint projects

Stimulate and support village and inter-village associations which provide services and care for vulnerable people within their communities

  

East Sussex

We support the development of:

• Social activities including drop in centres and lunch clubs
• Neighbourhood and befriending schemes
• Volunteer car schemes
• Health promoting activities and events
• Patient Participation Groups

AirS works in partnership with the Alzheimer's Society on the Lewes Villages Dementia Carers Support Service.  The project offers support, information and can put you in contact with other services in the area.  For more information, Please contact Vicky Hill and Kathy Fordham. 

We support groups and organisations in:

• Accessing information, advice and training
• Supporting of volunteers

Please click here to obtain a copy of the Village Care Information Pack 

Please click here to obtain letter and invite to Fuel Poverty Event 

For information on specific geographical areas please contact one of the following:

Lewes District

Scott Lipa East Sussex County Team Manager

Tel: (01273) 405443 Email: scott.lipa@ruralsussex.org.uk

Vicky Hill, Outreach Worker, Alzheimer's Society

Tel: (07872) 675161 Email: LewesVillagesOutreach@alzheimers.org.uk

  

Rother (Rye area)

Nan Hacking, Development Officer - Rother Volunteer Support Project

Tel: (01424) 882026 Email: hackingnan@aol.com

  

Wealden and Rother (Battle area)

Caroline Scotter, Development Officer - Wealden & Rother Villages Project

Tel: (01424) 775400 Email: caroline.scotter@ruralsussex.org.uk

  

West Sussex

• We manage the West Sussex Rural Health and Wellbeing Pathfinder Project 
• We manage the projects of the Chichester District Isolation Action Group
• We provide a voice for, and advocate on behalf of, rural communities at a strategic level
• We provide a small grants scheme - the West Sussex Community Care Grant for rural care activities

Please click here to obtain a copy of the Village Health and Wellbeing Information Pack 

For information please contact:

Pat Buesnel, Head of Fieldwork

Tel: (01273) 405441 Email: pat.buesnel@ruralsussex.org.uk

Parishes that received this service in 2007/08: