A £2000 grant has been awarded to an inner-city charity to organise monthly digital ‘meet-up’ groups to support people with type 2 diabetes.
Run by Birmingham based Steps to Your Healthy Future, the online group provides a safe place to chat and share experiences, be open and gather information to empower individuals to bring about positive change in their lives.
The money was donated by IM Properties’ Peddimore Community Fund, set up to help organisations making a difference in the neighbourhoods surrounding its Minworth manufacturing and logistics scheme.
With 12.5 million people at high risk of developing diabetes in the UK, the new group has become particularly important during the pandemic with fears raised over the associated risks of having the condition.
Kate Walker, founder of the charity said since Covid, they had seen a rise in the number of men and women coming forward from all ethnic backgrounds age 50 plus, not just the older generations they traditionally attract.
“Covid has definitely made people feel more anxious and GP’s are often limited in the time they can talk to them about the condition. One lady we saw was totally panicked until we were able to break it down for her in layman’s terms and build a more positive outlook.
“There can be huge language barriers, financial struggles or during the pandemic a lack of access to medical professionals or social services which means people can feel very overwhelmed.
“By taking small, simple steps we have witnessed big changes and so we’re grateful to IM Properties for funding a digital group for people to still be able to access the group whist we’ve all had to go online.”
Steps to Your Healthy Future has strong links to agencies in the Peddimore area who can connect and help support people. They also operate an open-door policy so spouses, friends or other family members can join in and gain a better understanding.
Kerry Amory social value manager at IM Properties said this was another example of some of the amazing individuals working in communities supporting people.
“This charity was initially set up by Kate doing free drop-in coffee and chat sessions and has grown into a hugely successful charity which has the ability to access people other agencies can’t always reach.
“The informal, non-judgemental environment they create enables people to share their stories and trigger experiences which offer little golden nuggets of information for people to take away to use to positive effect in their own lives.
“It’s fantastic to be able to offer our support as a business and and as one of a number of health initiatives the charity is engaged in in the community, we hope we can work with them again in the future.”
For further information on the grants or to apply, please visit: http://www.heartofengland.co.uk/peddimore-community-fund/ or call 024 7688 3297.