Volunteers recruited for hubs to aid elderly

North Yorkshire County Council announced yesterday that it is funding the initiative to set up a series of seven community centres in North Yorkshire to help engage with pensioners and vulnerable members of society.

Councillors have admitted key services such as social care will be affected as they battle to slash expenditure by £93m by 2014/15. The move is centred on the Government’s Big Society principles to encourage communities to take on more responsibilities amid the austerity drive.

The council’s executive member for health and adult services, Coun Clare Wood, said: “A lot has been said about the Big Society - this is a practical example of how it can work in reality, and benefit people in a practical and meaningful way.”

Six groups of volunteers have offered to run the centres in their village halls, and it is hoped the first community hub will be launched by Easter. The centres will offer preventative social care, as well as activities such as luncheon clubs, gardening clubs, film groups, cafes and good neighbour schemes.

The council has provided £49,600 to Rural Action Yorkshire to establish the community hubs and the funding will run until the end of the next financial year.

Rural Action Yorkshire’s chief officer, Leah Swain, said: “In recent years we have seen big changes in the management of community buildings.

“There are some really forward-thinking people out there who have been able to come up with great ideas which will make a big difference to people in rural areas.”

The hubs will be in Cold Kirkby, Husthwaite, Pannal, Glusburn, Weaverthorpe and Brompton-by-Sawdon. The seventh location has yet to be confirmed.

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