Local groups have been on a serious decline in London since 2009, and more than £56 million of funding has been cut, with many leaders saying they are unable to keep up the job due to insufficient pay. In Lambeth, many children’s holiday groups are being cut, forcing parents to leave children alone in houses or pay for expensive childcare. Funding for older people’s activities is as an all time low, with the government trying to cap spending spending on social care. Vicky Hibbs runs a weekly singing group for older people with Dementia in Streatham. It provides critical help to vulnerable people, ensuring they stay out of expensive care homes and maintain independence. Ms Hibbs said that her group used to be free to people, as they received government funding through the NHS social care department. Participants used to get a drink and lunch on arrival, and they would sometimes take day trips to see other groups like theirs. It was a chance to socialise and get out of the house, and it was very apparent how much older people depended on this group. So it came as a real shock in 2015 when their NHS funding was cut, in an attempt to cut back on spending. “We still have our National Lottery funding, but even that is uncertain. These are very scary times for us. All we are doing is providing a safe, happy space for vulnerable people.”
By Erin Ramsden, Dunraven School
