Saltcoats charity is spreading some community kindness with support from Council
Posted on 15 Feb 2024
An exciting project has been kick-started to share some kindness and help make people’s lives better with small changes.
The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT) delivers programmes and projects that improve people’s lives by encouraging, supporting and promoting community action.
And now, with support from North Ayrshire Council, TACT has launched its Kindness Krew initiative.
Encouraging acts of kindness, creating healthy relationships between residents and boosting well-being by fostering friendships is at the heart of the Kindness Krew.
The four projects within the Kindness Krew are:
- Chaperone Service - A volunteer helps those who need assistance with things like getting to a hospital appointment or a trip to the hairdresser
- Brew Buddies – Residents can meet up with a volunteer for a coffee and a chat in a local café, or in their own home
- Walk and Talk Companions – Those with physical mobility or fitness issues – or who feel lonely – can pair up with a companion to enjoy walking activities and
- Handy Helpers – Volunteers who can assist with small domestic chores like hanging curtains or weeding the garden.
Michelle Trainer, Kindness Krew Coordinator, said: “Sometimes a resident could need a plug changed, or batteries changed in a TV remote control – small jobs they can’t manage themselves due to conditions like arthritis. And this where our volunteers can help.
“The ethos of the project is to improve life for people by helping them with small tasks that most of us would do without giving them a second thought.
“The project has been three years in the making, and we are delighted to have launched it recently.”
North Ayrshire Council’s support to help TACT get the Kindness Krew up and running includes:
- In September last year, £25,000 was given to the group from £160,000 the Council was allocated through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This was earmarked to help residents experiencing financial hardship, isolation and loneliness and
- Support from the Fair Work Ayrshire Team, including a Fair Work Assessment, Disability Confident accreditation, real Living Wage accreditation and arranging Salus occupational support for staff.
Kaileigh Brown – Executive Director of TACT, said: “During the Coronavirus pandemic, we realised that people – especially the vulnerable and elderly who had no family living nearby – needed a helping hand with small tasks like changing a lightbulb.
“Small changes can make a big difference to people’s lives. And through the Kindness Krew we want people in the community to know they can reach out and ask for help when they need it.
If you live in the Irvine, Kilwinning or Three Towns localities you can ask for help from the Kindness Krew.
Kaileigh added: “We are very lucky because we can always rely on local people coming forward to offer their time to volunteer for such a good cause.
“We always have room for more people to get involved as a volunteer, and it would be great to see some new faces joining us.”
Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, said: “Kindness Krew will help to tackle isolation and offer opportunities for people to make friends. We are pleased to have offered support to help get it up and running.”
The team at TACT would love to hear from anyone aged 18 and over, of any skillset, who can spare time to volunteer. There are various opportunities available, and these are varied and flexible. To find out more or register, call Michelle on 07830 115 826.
If you would prefer to speak to someone face to face, pop into the office at 27-29 Vernon Street. You can find out more about TACT online at www.tact.scot
Fair Work Ayrshire encourages employers to implement fair working practices in the workplace, including the promotion of flexible and family-friendly policies, the real Living Wage and opposition to fire-and-rehire processes.
Fair Work First criteria are used in the evaluation of funding bids and applications for public sector procurements and grants and in wider funding decisions by public sector bodies.
The team supports, enables and empowers employers to introduce Fair Work into the workplace, policy and practice to improve prosperity of Ayrshire businesses and people. Businesses can find out more by emailing fairwork@north-ayrshire.gov.uk