The Orrell Trust has a double celebration this week as it reopens its doors to the public once more. Alongside the joy of finally emerging from lockdown, they are also celebrating a generous grant from The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.

The grant, worth £187,841 over three years, means security for The Orrell Trust’s projects and activities that combat social isolation and loneliness in older people, and for The Jolly Soap Opera Mob, a much-loved social group for disabled young adults. The money also allows them to expand and develop their work with children and young people, a group that has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.

Matt Jeziorski, Project Manager, said, “This funding is wonderful news for The Orrell Trust. We know the positive impact our projects have on our community, how valued they are, and how people have missed them whilst we have been closed. As we finally open our doors again after the pandemic, we open them on an exciting future for The Trust. We are hugely grateful to The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund for recognising the value of our work.”

During the pandemic The Orrell Trust showed great flexibility in service delivery as it continued to respond to the needs of the local community. They ran a shopping project for people who were vulnerable, isolating, or shielding; their Soup in a Basket luncheon club became Soup in a Bag, a delivery service, Bootle Buddies befriending service moved to telephone befriending, and The Jolly Soap Opera Mob went virtual via Zoom.

As they come back into the community centre over the coming days and weeks there will be an extra spring in everyone’s step as they celebrate this windfall.