A BEFRIENDING scheme to tackle loneliness and social isolation among elderly people in Carlisle has closed after funding dried up.

The Community Neighbours project linked volunteers with people in their own area, providing friendship and vital support.

In the past it has been paid for by grants from NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Cumbria County Council and Riverside Housing Association, at a cost of about £42,000 a year.

But Paul Caine, who set up and ran the scheme, said he has been unable to secure funding for the coming year. As a result the project formally ended yesterday.

Although not funded by Carlisle City Council, it was based at the Civic Centre and was part of its Healthy Cities initiative.

Money had initially run out in December but Mr Caine – who himself is now out of a job – said the city council provided some interim funding to allow further grant applications to be made. But these were not successful.

He said: “I’ve done everything I can to save it, because it was such a wonderful project.

“We had 84 volunteers and 60 partnerships. I haven’t been matching any new ones for a while because of this.

“As a project I think it’s been good value for money. I’ve tried everything, but sadly nobody has the money to commit.”

Mr Caine said part of the problem was that because the project was overseen by the city council, it limited the funding options.

Ironically, he said that had he secured a further 12 months funding, he was going to push ahead with plans to turn it into a social enterprise to widen the grants available and ensure it could survive long-term.

But now, much to the disappointment of service users and volunteers across Carlisle, it has been forced to close.

Mr Caine, who hopes some of the partnerships will continue unofficially, said he was very sad to have to put an end to a scheme that was such a success, having previously been hailed nationally and internationally for tackling social isolation in local communities.

“Three years ago there was nothing. When I started, in March 2013, all I had was funding to deliver a programme,” he said. “Since then it has made a difference. As a project we have so many good statistics, but it’s never been about that. It’s been about the narratives – the stories that have changed people’s lives.

“What upsets me is the people that are at home now staring at four walls. I’ve got people contacting me who want someone to visit them and volunteer forms on my desk. It’s heartbreaking really.”

He added that during the floods some of those involved in to help their community neighbour partners.

He’s also had enquiries from as far away as Canada from groups interested in setting up similar schemes. Yet he can’t secure funding to keep his own project running for another 12 months.

A Carlisle City Council spokeswoman said: “The Community Neighbours project was a free befriending service provided by volunteers to improve older peoples quality of life and reduce loneliness.

“The scheme was based at the Civic Centre but the post was funded by other organisations. It is anticipated that the support currently received as part of the project will continue, but as a private arrangement between the recipient and the volunteer.”

A spokesman for NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We were able to make a one-off grant last year to support the scheme, but made it clear we were unable to provide any funding for this scheme on a recurring basis. 

"The financial pressures facing the north Cumbrian health system are well documented and there are many other demands on our finite budget.”