Posted online: Jul 6th, 2009

A County Derry charity has received a £1million lottery boost to be used in its work with the elderly.

Ageing Well Roe Valley in Limavady will now use the cash on its Be Safe, Be Well project.

Originally established through Age Concern it’s now an umbrella for about 20 organisations in rural areas of County Derry.

The lottery cash will allow the group to work in partnership with the Glenshane Community Development Association, based in Dungiven, Roe Valley Rural Transport (based in Aghanloo), Glenshane Care Association in Dungiven, Foreglen Community Association and Greysteel Community Association to offer services and support to local people.

Marie McGinnis from the group said: “Although Ageing Well is taking the lead in the project it is very much a joint effort, with all the partners playing a crucial role. The Big Lottery Fund helped our umbrella group at its inception and when the Safe and Well programme was launched we could see its potential for our communities once again.

“We have always been about adding years to life and life to years for the over-50s which dove-tailed with the health aspect of the programme. And we have also in the past carried out a very successful security scheme helping improve home security by fitting peep holes or fitting security chains, so we knew a need like that would satisfy the community safety element.

Marie says the new cash will also be used to help defeat crime.

“Fear of crime is almost bigger than crime itself, which is why the home security element of the project is so welcome,” she said. ”We are planning intergenerational projects to help combat the negative image older people sometimes have of the younger generation.

“In one estate, for instance, we had young people making window boxes for their older neighbours, breaking down barriers and misconceptions that way and plan to train some sixth year students to become home visit volunteers.”

Local pensioner Peggy O’Kane, 76, lives alone but attends the Foreglen Day Care Centre – one of the Ageing Well groups – twice a week.

She is currently shelling out a tenth of the basic pension just to keep her grass cut and it’s hardships like this which the be Safe be Well project will address.

“We were delighted too to hear about the Safe and Well funding – it will be a great advantage to us, especially the provision of transport and also having someone to help out with jobs around the house,” she said.

“I’m paying £20 every two weeks to keep my grass cut and you need to keep the place looking well otherwise it makes you look more vulnerable. It’s quite a chunk out of a pension though, especially at the minute.

“And because there’s no public transport a round trip in a taxi to the shops is £10 – it all adds up. It’s just a good job I’m not wanting to be out smoking and drinking too”