2nd November 2021
Arthritis Action is happy to announce that we have received a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery’s Awards for All scheme, aiming to address digital exclusion in our Group meetings in three locations: London, Doncaster and Bradford.
Our Group meetings (which moved online in 2020) cover topics including mobility, exercise, healthy eating, and mental wellbeing, as part of our evidence-based self-management approach. Over 140 local presentations and meetings took place in 2020, aiming to reach those who felt socially and digitally excluded because of the pandemic. From the regular surveys we conduct to consult on the needs of people affected by arthritis, we found that 30% do not have access to, or adequate skills to join online activities.
This funding will increase access to our offline services: group meetings via teleconferencing, printed factsheets and other offline resources. We will be able to continue with extra digital training for those who prefer 1:1 support to access online Groups.
Our aim is to create supportive communities that share their experiences and help one another. Eventually we would like to be able to offer this inclusive service UK-wide, helping to minimise the effects of digital exclusion.
Our upcoming Groups in the supported regions are:
- 18th November – North east and Yorkshire Online Group 2 pm – 3 pm
- 8th December – London and Hertfordshire Group 2 pm – 3 pm
If you are interested in attending, please contact us at info@arthritisaction.org.uk for joining details.
You can find out more information about the National Lottery Awards for All scheme here, or visit our Events calendar for date of upcoming Groups.