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Rushey Green Time Bank |
| Region: |
London |
| London Borough: |
Lewisham |
| Time
Broker/Contact Name: |
Maria Meska |
| Address: |
c/o The Rushey Green Group Practice
The Primary Care Trust
Hawstead Road
London
SE6 4JH
|
| Tel: |
020 7138 1772 |
| Email: |
[email protected] |
| Website: |
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| Specialisms: |
Health
Elderly
Mental Health
|
| Area/Population
Served: |
Rushey Green, Catford |
| Funding Sources: |
Big Lottery Fund, Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, Merchant Taylor Fund
Rushey Green Group Practice (in kind), New Economics Foundation (Poetry Project) |
| Total Hours Given (credited): |
7320 |
| Total Hours Received (debited): |
7320 |
| Total Hours Traded (given+rec'd): |
14640 |
| No. Individual Participants: |
83 |
| No. Organisational Participants: |
10 |
| Total Participants (indiv+orgs): |
93 |
| No. Organisational Links: |
0 |
| Services Traded (top 3): |
Befriending, Gardening, DIY |
| Time Bank Strengths
(top 2): |
Contributing towards a more holistic approach to health in partnership with the Rushey Green Group Practice, strong core of committed members |
| Time Bank Challenges
(top 2): |
Long term funding, trying not to stretch ourselves too thinly |
| Other Comments: |
Description of the project
Rushey Green Time Bank is located in a general practice health centre in Lewisham, South East London. It was founded in 1999 by Rushey Green Group Practice - instigated by Dr Richard Byng with the New Economics Foundation � as an innovative way to promote well-being and health, social inclusion and social capital locally. The practice has six partners and 7,000 patients. Lewisham is one of the most deprived parts of the country. Dr Byng was convinced that many of his patients who presented with symptoms of depression and isolation could be helped by increasing their contact with other people and finding a framework in which they could feel useful to society and needed by others � the Time Bank provides this structure. .
With the support of the New Economics Foundation the Rushey Green Time Bank (RGTB) has succeeded in establishing itself as a national model of best practice for a Time Bank in a health-care setting. Locally this was reflected in the fact that in 2003, Lewisham Neighbourhood Renewal agreed to support the RGTB as the hub of a new network of Time Banks across Lewisham and as a means of developing greater resident involvement across the borough as a whole.
Rushey Green Time Bank allows members to give and receive a wide range of neighbourly support � from lifts to accompanying people to the shops, from companionship to checking up on people after hospital discharge. People can be referred to the Time Bank by their doctors or by other service providers or they can join direct themselves.
In April 2003 the 3 year pilot project, where the Time Bank was funded and managed by the New Economics Foundation, came to an end. The Time Bank went on to gain Charitable status in January 2004 and is now managed by a Board of Trustees. |
| Last
Updated: |
23/6/06 |
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| Case Study |
When I transferred from my previous Doctor to Rushey Green Group Practice, little did I think that the outcome would be so fortuitous. I was invited to join Time Bank, which has proved to be magnificent. Soon after joining, I had a successful total hip replacement. Besides exercises, I was told to begin walking again � that�s easy indoors, first with a zimmer, then two crutches, and now 1 crutch. But, I longed to go out after being indoors for over 2 years. Time Bank came to my rescue, they were quick off the mark! The Time Bank Broker arranged for a lovely caring lady to �collect me� and take me for short walks, once or twice a week. Ah, lovely fresh air and sunshine and such kindness.
I am walking much better now. Thank you Time Bank.
.Mrs Treen, Time Bank Member |
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