NEWS

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) is providing a Christmas tree removal service for the second year running, after last year’s collection boosted the pot for one of its most popular services. Due to a policy change, WiSE’s Grass Cutting scheme’s annual £40,000 funding from BBC Children in Need ended this March – leaving a huge financial shortfall. To help, last year WiSE collected 110 Christmas trees as an extra service for winter work for the Grass Cutting Scheme – and hopes the scheme will be as successful this year. Mark Dobson, Chief Operating Officer at WiSE, said: “For…

A 92 year old Wetherby man can dance again thanks to fitness classes which got him back on his feet after a devastating stroke. Active walker Keith Wilkinson lost movement on his left side after suffering a stroke just days after completing a hike along Hadrian’s Wall to raise money for Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE). Now the same charity has helped him get active again- with WiSE’s new Falls Management Exercise (FaME) classes meaning he hasn’t had a fall since. The chair-based, standing strength and balance exercises mean Keith has even rediscovered his love of dancing. Keith…

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly’s (WiSE) breakfast club for gents is breaking barriers and boosting mental health for a growing number of men across the borough.  WiSE set up the weekly Men’s Breakfast Club in response to growing demand for support for isolated men of all ages.  Now men regularly gather at the WiSE Owl Café at Boston Spa Village Hall each Friday for a chat with others over a bacon bap and a brew, with regulars hailing the camaraderie between such a diverse group of people.   Gavin Davies, aged 64 from Boston Spa, said: “The club started in…

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) has harnessed grants, donations and willpower to keep its much-needed grass cutting scheme for older people going, despite a £40,000 cash shortfall. WiSE continued cutting 60 lawns throughout the summer despite losing Children in Need funding in March due to a policy change. The charity has supported more than 300 grass cuts since April and hopes to help the community’s older people with winter garden jobs and a Christmas tree collection service, if funding allows. Mark Dobson, Chief Operating Officer at WiSE, said: “For years we have worked in partnership with Wetherby Young…

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) is urgently appealing for new volunteers to join its ranks, as growing demand for its activity schedule risks outstripping current capacity. WiSE, which supports older people across Wetherby and surrounding villages, has seen attendance at its regular timetabled events and its community café – the WiSE Owl Café – rise significantly. The surge in support is a remarkable sign of the programme’s success, but one that places increasing pressure on the charity’s small, dedicated volunteer team. Without new volunteers coming forward, WiSE warns it may be forced to reduce its activities timetable –…