TED Ageing Better in East Lindsey is one of fourteen partnership programmes funded through The National Lottery Community Fund - Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better Programme. Ageing Better partnerships are based in 14 locations across England, from Torbay to Middlesbrough and the Isle of Wight to East Lindsey. Working with local people, charities, businesses, public sector services and voluntary groups, the Ageing Better partnerships are exploring creative ways for people aged over 50 to be actively involved in their local communities, helping to combat social isolation and loneliness. Ageing Better is one of five major programmes set up by The National Lottery Community Fund to test and learn from new approaches to designing services which aim to make people’s lives healthier and happier.

TED is a partnership of older people and voluntary and public sector agencies, led by Community Lincs, working closely in East Lindsey to reduce social isolation and loneliness that many older people in the district experience. TED has developed innovative and creative ways for people, aged over 50, to be actively involved in their local communities.

The overarching outcomes of the TED programme are:

• Older people will be better connected with volunteering, social, leisure and health improving activities leading to an enhanced quality of life.
• Older people in East Lindsey will report that they do not feel lonely or isolated.
• More older people in East Lindsey will feel positive about the opportunities that getting older presents.
• Older people In East Lindsey will have more opportunities to influence the design and delivery and evaluation of services and businesses available to them

TED delivers across East Lindsey, including Louth, Horncastle, Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea and Skegness. The Programme looks to help organise self-sustaining Friendship Groups within communities, conduct Age-friendly Business assessments and work with a variety of Delivery Partners to reach a wider community and to also conduct research into the challenges over 50s face as they reach retirement.

Our engagement with over 50s and partners, evaluation, research and delivery to date has provided an evidence base about the needs and gaps in provision for socially isolated over 50s in East Lindsey. This continues to be supplemented with evidence gathered via the TED Well-being Survey (CMF), TED events, and our TED beneficiaries.  We are currently working towards the following strategic themes:

• Advocacy and Advice
• Befriending Services
• Digital Skills and Access
• Health and Well-being
• Older Men’s Activities

TED Delivery Statistics:

• 74 businesses across East Lindsey now hold an Age-friendly Business Accreditation.
• 7 (live) Friendship Groups, and a further 4 Friendship Groups in development.
• 516 volunteers have contributed 8,156 hours to the TED Programme between April 2018 and August 2019 equating to a financial value of £63,861
• Provided Befriending services to 266 vulnerable individuals aged 50+
• Supported 598 older men to access opportunities to socialize.
• Attracted 4,376 older people to 520 events