We were delighted to receive an Awards for All grant for £4800 from The National Lottery Community Fund. The funding was used to purchase three REM electric therapy beds aimed at improving the overall experience of users with mobility issues and to better accommodate the health and safety of our staff.
Pictured below (L-R): Board member Margaret Brown, and complementary therapists Geraldine Kelly and Patricia McShane.
A new Queens University report Reparations for those Bereaved during the Troubles was launched on 20th September 2023 detailing previous failures to provide adequate reparations for those Bereaved during the Troubles and how a future Bereavement scheme might operate.
Find full details of the report here: https://reparations.qub.ac.uk/new-report-reparations-for-those-bereaved-during-the-troubles/
On the 9th August 2023 we took a group out to Divis for a walking tour with Jim Bradley from Belfast Hills Partnership.
Afterwards we stopped by Standing Stones Lodge for some lunch.
A big thank you to Jim Bradley and Belfast Hills for the informative tour, and to Standing Stones for having us!
A big thank you to the Halifax Foundation for supporting us once gain through their community grants programme.
This helps fund our maintenance and cleaning costs to keep our building in good condition for our users.
On Tuesday the 27th June we took a group out to Co. Armagh to visit an Iron Age Celtic site at Navan Fort. We also visited Armagh town and had a great lunch at Mulberry Bistro.
Big thanks to the Navan Centre and Mulberry Bistro for having us!
Established by the Victims Payment Board in 2021, the Troubles Permanent Disablement Scheme (TPDS) aims to acknowledge and provide financial support to those who have been permanently injured through no fault of their own in a Troubles related incident. You may also apply for financial assistance if you are the spouse, carer, civil partner or cohabitating partner of someone who was injured in a Troubles related incident but has since died.
As of 01/04/2023 a total of 4,416 applications have been received.
Please feel free to contact us or drop in if you need more information or assistance with your application.
Email: survivorsoftrauma@live.co.uk Phone Number: 02890 749 944
References: https://www.victimspaymentsboard.org.uk/
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/troubles-permanent-disablement-payment-scheme
We would like to extend a very big thank you to The National Lottery following our recent award under their People and Communities funding programme. In total we received a grant of £56,939 which has been used for some very important refurbishment work and the installation of solar panels. The repairs to the roof will mean that we can weatherproof the building which has deteriorated over the years and has been causing damage internally. The solar panels will be a step towards helping reduce our energy bills whilst making a small contribution to citywide decarbonising strategies. Once again, we would like to extend our deep gratitude to the National Lottery for showing an interest in what we were aiming to do and investing in the long-term goals of the organisation.
Roof refurbishment commences
Solar Panels installed
Health and Wellbeing Caseworkers
A health and wellbeing caseworker is a person who can assist you to access services, information and support to improve your health and wellbeing. They have experience of working with victims and survivors, and understand that your needs can be complex and change over time. Caseworkers are in place to discuss your needs with you and to help you to access services and support to meet those needs. These can range form befriending to welfare advice, education and training support, disability aids and psychological therapies. Caseworkers can also help you to engage with community and voluntary services in your area, and with statutory services too.
Advocacy Support Workers
An advocacy support worker can assist you to engage with legacy processes. This means they can help you to research events that happened during the conflict, and to communicate with institutions such as the Police Ombudsman, the Coroner and the Public Records Office. Advocacy Support Workers have experience of working with victims and survivors, and understand the sensitivity and importance of your information needs.
Health and Wellbeing Caseworkers & Advocacy Support Workers can are based in various organisations throughout Northern Ireland.
If you wish to find out more information about VSSNI services, you can contact them directly on 028 90 279100 or email enquiries@vssni.org