A memoir writing service working to reduce isolation and benefit participant’s mental health and wellbeing in North East Lincolnshire has received a significant boost, thanks to a £4,857 donation from the Care Plus Group Charitable Trust.
The Write Life, founded by journalist Rosanna McGlone, aims to preserve, and share the memories and life stories of people over 55 living across North East Lincolnshire. The grant will enable The Write Life to deliver a new two-part memory writing project, ‘My Mother’s Purse’ which will be delivered over a five-month period for 9 participants, starting in June 2021.
Participants will take part in interactive workshops, learning methods to write about some of the important memories in their lives, before engaging in one-to-one sessions with Rosanna to explore their writing in detail, to discuss what is at the heart of their stories and explore how these can be reshaped, improved, and redrafted. At the end of the workshops up to 5,000 words from each participant will be shaped into an anthology and published, with each participant receiving a free copy.
Rosanna McGlone, founder of The Write Life, said: “I want to thank the Care Plus Group Charitable Trust for funding this memory writing project. The grant will be a huge help in bringing participants together to support their mental health and wellbeing through their engagement in the project.
“Upon having their work published in an anthology, we’re keen for participants to share their stories with people from the local community. I am particularly keen for these to be shared with young people for them to gain a greater sense of understanding and appreciation of the history of the participants and the areas in which they grew up.”
Neil Cartwright, Trustee of Care Plus Group Charitable Trust, said: “As a charity we exist to support individuals or groups with funds or equipment that will benefit the health and wellbeing of community members across North East Lincolnshire. The diversity of projects being funded shows that local communities have a passion for improving the health and quality of life for people within the area.
“The Write Life is just one of many groups to have benefited from funding through the scheme. We would encourage anyone with a project that could make a difference to their local community to explore how the Charitable Trust could help them.”
To date, The Care Plus Group Charitable Trust has provided more than £93,000 to more than 90 community projects across North East Lincolnshire since its inception in 2016.
Further information about the Care Plus Group Charitable Trust and how to apply for funding is available at https://www.careplusgroup.org/charitable-trust/