Grant Outcomes

Avondale Grant

“The funding provided has helped make the entire grounds more accessible for all regardless of mobility needs, so more people are enjoying the grounds, are able to relax and take quiet moments away from others. It has enabled Avondale to replace broken unused raised beds and poly tunnels, so we are growing more produce, so residents at Avondale can eat what they have helped grow. They also have an increased sense of worth as their efforts in growing are shared with others via a local food bank, helping give others the opportunity to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables too.

Gardening groups, quizzes, nature watching, planting and bird box building are all better attended helping people socialise, learn and are benefiting nature too!

We plan to have a visitors/social hub in future, enabled by funding from OLC, to advance our project further, allowing an activity space to engage with community groups, social events and to support better understanding of mental health and how it impacts on us all.

None of that mentioned here would ever have been possible without OLC support. The kindness and empathy of their Trustees, their willingness to see the potential in our project and the positive nature of each of the Trustees as individuals, who hold a vast array of backgrounds, knowledge and experience was like a breath of fresh air in today’s challenging times.”

Willowbrook Hospice Grant

“Receiving the grant from the Oliver Lymes organisation, gave us the opportunity to pilot a project working alongside the district nurses. District nurses are extremely busy, with a high case load and time restraints. Due to this, they are unable to spend sufficient time with palliative patients to address important issues such as End of Life care planning.

I was able to spend the time needed, with the patient and their families, giving them the opportunity to have more in-depth conversations around end of life care. Several of the patients that I met in the community were later admitted to the hospice as inpatients. I was a familiar face that they had already met, and I was able to explain in more detail about the hospice and what they could expect during their admission. Hopefully this took away some of the fear that they may have felt.

Another outcome of my role was to support and offer training to the district nurses, especially those new to the role. I was able to work alongside them providing education various palliative care related topics, for example setting up syringe drivers and discussing the role of medications that we were using. I was also able to discuss the importance of advance care planning and also the spiritual needs of the patient. The aim of this was to increase their confidence in initiating advance care planning and End of Life discussions.”

Caring Connections Grant

Caring Connections is a registered charity that has been in operation since 1992. Delivering services across the north west with a central operations being managed in Knowsley.

The kind funding from the Oliver Lymes Charity has supported our organisational wellbeing activities and supported towards the recruitment/co-ordination cost within our Knowsley headquarters.

Through the support we have received through the Oliver Lymes Charity over the years this enabled our organisation to be supported through an extremely challenging financial and operational landscape. The unrestricted core funding provided, enabled our charity to have a lifeline in difficult times. I can safely say we would be here today without the charity’s support.

Social car financing locally is very challenged and makes it difficult to provide the front line services and the required quality level and meet the financial needs of staff. We pride ourselves on an hourly rate of £12.35, supporting Knowsley residents and make the rate work for local people.

We now support over 120 Knowsley residents every day through care, and now employ over 70 staff solely within this area.

We are now one of Knowsley MBC’s lead providers for their home care services, having control of the largest area in Knowsley.

In the past year Oliver Lymes has specifically supported with:

  • Staff wellbeing activities - e.g. Knowsley Family Grotto

  • Carer celebration events - e.g. care Awards celebrations

  • Recruitment initiatives e.g. Indeed Job Board sponsorship/Facebook promotions

  • Employee celebrations Knowsley e.g. Knowsley employee of the month

  • Staff wellbeing/service user wellbeing officers e.g. Knowsley wellbeing calls local isolation reduction service.

  • Support in training costs to support staff to access qualifications and support programmes - CIPD/HSC Qualifications

In summary the Oliver Lymes Charity support has enabled us to make a great social impact on Knowsley residents which we will continue to grow over the next years.

Smaller Grants

Small grants have also been given out to the following local charities, primary schools and community groups:

Big Help Project - Knowsley Foodbank

Vee's Place

Act for Action

Al's Activity & Respite Centre

Children's Charity Merseyside

Whiston Scouts Group

Listening Ear (Merseyside)

Evolving Mindset

Alzheimer's Society - Whiston

St Leo's primary

Our Lady's Primary

Evelyn Avenue Primary

Eccleston Lane Ends Primary

Halsnead Primary

Prescot Primary

St Luke's Primary

Whiston Willis Primary

Evelyn PC School

The Salvation Army (Prescot)

This year's small grants program has been extensive and reflects the charities commitment to the communities of Whiston and Prescot, and to our guiding principals of

preserving lives, preventing poverty, providing hope

Please do get in touch if you'd like to discuss either of our grant programs - we are waiting to hear from you.