Renewed Community Spirit
Pictured: Louise Patton (left), with new found friends Peggy Sutch and Eileen Tyrrel.
Five women who live on the same street but did not know each other have become firm friends after enrolling on local history and computing classes set up by Knowsley Council.
The women now meet in each other’s houses for tea, chat and to do their homework and they are thrilled with their new-found friendships and interests.
“We enjoy it so much,” said Louise Paulton of South Avenue, Prescot. “I am not very good with writing, my spelling is not good, but we meet up in each other’s houses and help each other.”
Louise meets up with Eileen Tyrrel, Peggy Sutch, Lilian Wales and Madge Brown. She added, “I’ve learned a lot about local history, it has brought back lots of memories.”
Peggy Sutch said, “It is all very interesting, I really enjoy getting out and I have learned from other people. I’ve written essays for the first time in my life.”
The scheme is part of Knowsley’s Life Long Learning, a unique initiative promoting the independence of older people. It aims to break down isolation, develop a sense of independence and confidence through community-based learning and was carried out over and above the normal day routine.
The initiative began when Knowsley’s Social Services, Leisure and Housing departments got together to develop a strategy for older people, which led them to put together a simple package of resources. A sheltered housing complex room in Prescot hosts community education sessions provided by LINC (Learning in Neighbourhood Centres), while staff from the Authority’s Community Support Services assist older people in getting to and from the classes.
Carole Bayliss, of Knowsley Council’s Social Services said, “We asked older people what activities they would like to do and they came up with computing and local history. This has all sorts of benefits and helps older people mix with people of different ages in the community.”
Carole’s colleague Terry Powell, who helped to set up the classes, is now asking older people what subjects they would like to study later in the year when the classes start up again.