NOTICEBOARD
Social prescribing scheme launched
Save Our Sanctuary... A South Hams animal charity has issued an urgent appeal for help, as it desperately searches for a new base. Hoofbeats, which has rescued and re-homed more than 200 horses and ponies since it launched in 2000, has been based at Lower Collard Farm near Shaugh Prior for nearly ten years. But now the charity’s landlord has given it notice to move and although temporary land in four separate locations has been sourced, a new, permanent home needs to be found. Sharon Vieira, founder of Hoofbeats Sanctuary, said: ‘As a team, we find ourselves in a heart-breaking situation, this is very raw for us and we are desperately trying to find a way forward.’ The ‘Save our Sanctuary Appeal’ has raised £4,000 since it was launched in March, for which Sharon and the dedicated Hoofbeats volunteers are very grateful. But during difficult times for all charities, when fundraising has been curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, the charity still needs funds to care for its animals - and most importantly, some land they can call home. Sharon said: ‘Hoofbeats is so much more than just a horse welfare charity. Our horses have helped people along the way too. I have been overwhelmed with the messages of support that tell stories of our work, and the horses having such a positive effect on many of our supporters and volunteers’ mental health. ‘This news is such a blow for the charity, the horses, and for us all as a team personally too.’ More information: To pledge your donation to the charity’s emergency appeal, please visit: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-sanctuary To find out more about the charity’s work, please visit www.hoofbeats.org.uk Please mention PLYM LINKS when responding to adverts
Plymouth’s Central Park’s Community Sports Hub is set to be take centre stage in an exciting new social prescribing project. The sports hub, which opened just prior to the pandemic in March 2020, is situated in the heart of the park on the site of the old bowling pavilion. In partnership with Argyle Community Trust and Livewell Southwest, it will become a base for a green social prescribing scheme. Social prescribing, sometimes known as community referral, is a means of enabling health professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. It has been made possible through funding from the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), Arts Council England, Historic England, Natural England, NHS England and Improvement, Sport England, the Money and Pensions Service, and NHS Charities Together. The Argyle Community Trust will take on the management of the sports hub, built by Plymouth City Council as part of wider improvements to Central Park with contributions from the Football Foundation. It features changing rooms, accessible toilets and storage facilities as well as upgrades to the community hall and kitchen. The work of the Trust will support the development of annual events and initiatives such as Park Run. The hub will facilitate various programmes delivered by Argyle Community Trust including employability, education, and recreational activity as well as letting out rooms to local businesses, organisations and activity providers. To find out more email community@pafc.co.uk
Lewis Coombes, facilities manager for the Argyle Community Trust (left) and deputy council leader, Cllr Pete Smith Visit our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk 13
