Following our recent news about the first successful contract award of our new Community Navigator (CN) brokerage service, we are pleased to announce that British Red Cross and Southway Housing have been appointed to lead two similar projects, working with the following target groups respectively:

• Bangladeshi men and women over 50
• Men over 75 living alone on a low income

The remit for both contracts is to connect people to existing activities, services and organisations. This will not only result in individuals becoming more socially connected, but will also provide us with valuable learning as to the most effective ways of providing support to people in these groups.

- Bangladeshi men and women over 50

The British Red Cross started working on the contract in December 2017 and the project will now run for two years. The programme will initially be based in three regions of Greater Manchester - Oldham, Rochdale and Manchester. A soft launch is planned for March 2018 and, between now and then, a Community Navigator is being recruited, with a support worker coming on board shortly afterwards.

- Men over 75 living alone on a low income

Southway Housing Trust - pioneers of the age-friendly ‘Take a seat’ business scheme - will be providing support to men over 75 receiving receipt of pension credit who are living alone. Working in the Manchester, Tameside and Oldham regions, Southway will shortly be recruiting volunteers to start delivering the project within communities. This is scheduled to begin April 2018.