Tuesday 12th December 2017 - LIF, Funding applications, future

Posted 4:15pm

It's a bitterly cold late afternoon, and I am sitting in the heart of London updating this entry.

I almost feel like we have met the biggest barrier so far. After over three years of concentrated work on foundations, paperwork, development and creativity, it all now boils down to someone having some faith in us, believing in what we can achieve, and giving us the funds to prove ourselves.  Will it happen??

Well, we have now invoiced the Local Initiatives Fund for the £883.90 awarded to us for the local Izzwalkz - which is great. We should get the money around xmas. This is great timing. We aim to be getting flyers, posters, some marketing materials, etc. from Vistaprint - and there should be a good sale on then, with discount. I am going to run the flyers and posters past the medical centre for approval first. I really hope we can pick up some new walkers.  The last three weeks we have gained two. I believe it can grow.

We also want to expand the walks throughout Islington, as people who read this blog know. For that we would need bigger funding - from Sponsorship or grant. It does not need a huge amount. I believe we could easily be managing daily walks - five a week - for around £1000 a month - you would need to pay a part time salary to someone to organise it - as well as provide insurance, equipment, volunteer costs, marketing etc.  But for the short and long term physical and mental health benefits I think that is money very well spent.  In fact I have just come up with an idea for that.

We have printed off various applications for funding opportunities we will be completing, but none of these would be immediate - which is where we really hope the CCG is going to help us.

The future has so much potential - but we now reliant on others to see it with us. Fingers crossed.

Friday 8th December 2017 - Izzwalkz CP funding:

Posted 11:35am

It's a bright sunny November morning - and I have been excitedly preparing for our £883 we will be receiving from the Local Initiatives Fund for our Izzwalkz Clissold Park walk.  The fund only provides money for projects in the ward where you live - I am in Highbury East - as are Highbury Grange Medical Centre where we partner with the walk.

I have been on the Vistaprint website designing a flyer and a poster - we will be ordering 2500 flyers to post around the area, and 50 posters to go up all over the place.  I think they look ok but I must run them past the Medical Centre to make sure we are all happy.  Also, the prices have gone down since we put the application into the funders. We cannot just spend the difference on other things without their permission, but I would like to see if we can get a large roller banner for events. That would be cool.  It has been fun doing the designs though.

I have also done designs for some caps and t-shirts for walk leaders, as well as some mugs I am going to give out to lour fantastic ladies for christmas presents.

I will be chatting to PT Dean about some more fitness stuff for our exercises.  I also need to look back online for a suitable first aid kit - which we should take along with us.  But, we have had aother piece of good luck. The Red Cross have said we would qualify for free training. So the money we claimed for that can also be used elsewhere - and it would definitely cover our insurance, which is up for renewal in the Spring. I will chat to the LIF about other spending possibilities.

Tuesday 5th December 2017 - funding, emails

Posted 3:40pm

It's been an incredible year. It was this time last year that we were presenting our program to various prospective companies - including the DWP, Public Health, etc.  It went down really well, and we have made huge progress this year. It was the dream to work with clients, and that has been fantastic. Results were terrific.

Now the dream is to get paid while we work. And that has to be this year.

We are waiting to hear from the CCG. Meanwhile, we continue to apply for funding elsewhere.  I have downloaded forms for Big Lottery Awards for All, and for Trust for London today. We tick every box for what they want to fund, but who knows? Our only real sticking point is that we are new and start up - but everyone has to start sometime? Right?

I have also contacted another funding stream today online and wait for them to come back.  All three of the ones I have mentioned can fund five figures. Which is what we need.

I am also trying to work out how to push our gofundme page. That could be a big one.

It feels like I just talk about money all the time now. I hate that. We want to be planning three programs to start in January - and I have started on that. It would just be nice to be able to do that from a secure footing.

Monday 4th December 2017 - Mayor attends Izzwalkz first birthday

The Izzwalkz CP walkers with the Islington Mayor

Outside Highbury Grange Medical Practice

23rd November 2017

Posted 2:25pm

We were delighted to welcome Islington Mayor, Una O'Halloran, on our first birthday walk on Thursday 23rd November. It is amazing to thing we have done 52 of them - we walk every week in all weathers!!!

Izzwalkz CP walkers with Islington Mayor

Inside HGMP for lunch after the walk

Afterwards, we were welcomed into Highbury Grange Medical Practice, where Practice Manager Fateha and ourselves laid on a small lunch to chat and talk about the walk.  It really was a special day.

Izzwalkz CP walkers

Enjoying coffee/tea in Clissold House Cafe

30th November 2017

The following week - on the 30th - one of our wonderful ladies, Gabby, treated us to tea and coffee in the Clissold Park House Cafe - it was a very cold day - I am so proud to be running this fantastic venture.

Monday 4th December 2017 - a lot to catch up on

Posted 2:15pm

It's been a couple of weeks since the last entry.  This is down to a mix of illness, and needing to deal with both project and life issues.

Our program focuses a huge amount on mindset, and people have to realise that this can affect everyone - including us. Staying positive in the face of injustice and adversity can be difficult, but the only way to deal with it is to struggle on and fight!!

This is exactly what we have been doing.

We managed to meet up with two of our service users to get some excellent feedback - written and video. We hope this will nudge funders to give us an opportunity - money is the big big thing now. Without it we just cannot continue. And we know we have something good and different.

I have been looking into various grant funding streams - and several applications will be going out before the end of December - well, around 8-10 to be exact.  But it's the immediate need that is vital. Still hoping we can get from the CCG or find a company to sponsor for 4-5 months - one full time salary, two part time, plus some running costs.  Please keep your fingers crossed for us.

We did get a small grant of £860 (well we will get the money in a couple of weeks) for our Izzwalkz Clissold Park healthy walk. This is very detailed though - and will be spent on first aid training, first aid kit, various marketing, some exercise equipment, etc.  It is a positive though. It came from the local councillor and we have to provide receipts for everything - which is no problem.

So apologies for the lack of entries.