Pensioners’ groups in Burradon and Camperdown have got a brand new set of kitchen appliances thanks to a community grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
The funding has paid for a kettle, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, oven, water boiler and new tables at the Festival Cottages recreation room in Camperdown.
The money was applied for by two separate groups who share the Rec Room kitchen, as well as having many members in common. They worked together to apply for the grants.
Burradon and Camperdown Pensioners Bingo meets on a Thursday and Burradon and Camperdown Pensioners Coffee Morning meets on a Friday. They are at full capacity every week, with 24 people, the same as the number of chairs.
North Tyneside Council is partnering with North Tyneside VODA to deliver the UKSPF programme, which is funded by the UK Government with the North East Combined Authority as the lead authority. Through UKSPF, North Tyneside Council has invested over £1.2 million through a range of grants in the North West of the Borough.
It is part of the Council’s Ambition for the North West, creating attractive places to live, new opportunities for work and business, and inspiring spaces to play and visit.
Penny Bundy and Joyce Davison run the coffee morning together. Penny said: “Coffee morning doesn’t really cover it. We put on pies, bacon and sausage sandwiches, soups, cakes and scones. We even do a Christmas lunch. Having this new equipment makes a huge difference. We are pensioners ourselves and having a dishwasher and a working oven and microwave is a fantastic help.”
Joyce said: “We can do so much more now, more easily. We’re always dashing back and forwards with coffees and the water boiler is very handy, rather than having to fill the old kettle every five minutes.”
Irene Gilbert who runs the bingo says: “We are a separate group from the coffee morning but we both use the kitchen and when the small grants were announced we knew we could work together to get it kitted out for everyone’s benefit.
“We always have a full house here for the bingo and it’s a serious business of course. It’s a lot of fun too and it gives people the chance to get out of the house, have a natter, help one another out and keep warm.
“We all love sitting down together to share some treats and hot drinks, so the new kitchen equipment is already being very well used.”
With a focus on creating a sense of renewed pride, identity and connectivity in local communities, UKSPF aims to increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
UKSPF was made available to any voluntary and community sector organisations that provide services in Camperdown, Weetslade and Longbenton, with five different types of grants: capital, large, medium, small and youth.
The capital, large, medium and youth funds are now closed, and all money has been allocated, but funding is still available through the small grants scheme via North Tyneside VODA until 31 December 2024.
Photo caption: Penny Bundy and Joyce Davison at their Halloween coffee morning on 1 November 2024.