West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership (WY&H HCP) are delighted to hear they will receive £1,158,385 from The NHS Charities Together fund to support the hard work of the local voluntary community social enterprise sector (VCSE) across the area.

WY&H HCP worked through the Leeds Hospital Charity and partners to implement a robust and inclusive process with over twenty VCSE partners involved in the national funding application.

The VCSE in West Yorkshire and Harrogate is a formal partner working alongside the NHS and local authorities to meet the health and care needs of communities. They provide a connection into communities, expertise and advice and they deliver vital services, including to people least likely to access mainstream health care services. Their support has been essential before and during the pandemic. They have played a significant role in keeping people safe and well.

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Read more: NHS Charities Together - Our partnership

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The funding is targeted at supporting the WY&H HCP work in tackling health inequalities across the area, through delivering grassroots help to those with long term health conditions, those on hospital waiting lists and people most at risk or experiencing poor health outcomes and reduced life expectancy.

Following an open and transparent process, the following twenty-two local projects will be allocated a share of the funds. 

• Bradford Trident
• Positive Action for Refugees & Asylum Seekers (PAFRAS)
• Open Country
• Carers’ Resource
• Touchstone
• Women's Activity Centre CIC Ltd
• Holbeck Together
• Basis Yorkshire
• Bramley Elderly Action
• People Matters (West Yorkshire)
• Leeds Older People's Forum (LOPF)
• Inspired Neighbourhoods
• BID Services
• Huddersfield Mission
• Dementia Friendly Keighley (DFK)
• The Candlelighters Trust
• The Art House
• Barca-Leeds
• Rugby League Cares
• Keighley Healthy Living (KHL)
• North of England Activities and Training (NEAT)
• Leeds GATE (Gypsy and Traveller Exchange)

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Read more: NHS Charities Together News

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The funding will also be targeted at reducing inequalities for people most affected by the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19.

Rob Webster CBE, CEO for WY&H HCP said: Thank you to NHS Charities together for their support and this funding. Our VCSE partners have done amazing work before and during the pandemic. Using hard data and their local insight and intelligence, we can target these much-needed funds where they will make the biggest difference to those facing health inequalities. The funds build on over £3million already invested from the Partnership on top of local funding prioritised in each of our local places. We know that the NHS alone will not deliver what is needed in our communities and this latest investment is a vote of confidence in our fantastic VCSE partners.

Hilary Thompson, Senior Responsible Officer for WY&H HCP Power of Communities Programme said:’ The 22 funded projects, many of which are grassroots organisations, work in the heart of our neighbourhoods and include projects focused on refugees, asylum seekers, families affected by childhood cancer, unpaid carers, older people, people from ethnic minority communities and people living with disabilities. It’s great news for our VCSE partners and most importantly local people’.

Esther Wakeman, CEO of Leeds Hospitals Charity said: ‘We’re proud to be the lead charity for all of these wonderful projects which will help improve the lives of people in our local communities. Leeds Hospitals Charity is committed to addressing health inequalities in our region, and thanks to this generous funding from NHS Charities Together, we can help improve equity of access to the best possible healthcare for everyone’.