Ambition for Ageing is a programme funded by the Big Lottery which aims to work alongside the local community to help make the Alexandra, Crompton and Failsworth West areas of Oldham more age friendly places to live and work.

We have money for each local area to invest in your good ideas!  You can ask for up to £2,000 to make your idea a reality.  Use this form to tell us more about your idea and how much it will cost.

Who can apply?

Individuals, groups of friends or neighbours, community groups, registered charities, social enterprises or businesses can apply.  If you are from a group we will need to discuss with you how the investment will work, depending on whether you are a formally constituted group.  NB: A constituted group is a group of people who come together with a common aim.  The group is run on a voluntary basis, has a committee, a constitution which sets out its aims and its own bank account.

What kind of ideas can be funded?

We are looking for ideas about how you can:

• Make your area more ‘age friendly’.
• Create more social opportunities for people aged 50+.
• Bring together different generations or communities.
• Reduce social isolation.
• Work together to try new ways of doing things.
• Involve people aged 50+ in your idea.
• Build on the skills, knowledge, experience and confidence of people aged 50+ in these areas.
• Make your idea sustainable so it can carry on after the investment has been spent.

What kind of ideas cannot be funded?

There are some things that Ambition for Ageing money can’t be spent on:

• Day to day running costs and current or regular activities that are unrelated to Ambition for Ageing.
• Any costs that someone else is paying for. You cannot fund things that are being paid for elsewhere – for example, if you have been gifted free use of a meeting room, this cannot be charged to the project.
• Funds to build up a reserve or surplus.
• General appeals or endowments.
• Any money spent on the project before it is agreed (unless you have specifically agreed this with us and we have confirmed this in writing).
• Building or refurbishment work, unless we have agreed that this is absolutely necessary to the delivery of your project.
• Buying land or buildings.
• Activities that are statutory obligations.
• Loans or interest repayments.
• Religious or political activities.
• Travel outside the UK.

You can ask for investment to go towards a range of costs including running activities, paying for equipment or training, promoting your idea or improving the environment you live or work in.

We accept and approve ideas throughout the year.  Please get in touch to find out when our Age Friendly Project Group will next meet to make decisions.  This group is made up of local people aged 50+ working alongside staff from important local services.

If you are successful you will be required to keep records to show how you have spent your investment and provide information to the Ambition for Ageing Oldham Team about how people have benefited from your idea.  We will let you know more about this when we make arrangements with you for the investment.

To see a map of the areas we are working in you can look on our website:

www.ageukoldham.org.uk

How to apply

1. Complete this application form which will be taken to our Age Friendly Project Group for a decision.
2. We will contact you to clarify details and to offer development support if necessary.

Please return your completed application form to:

Nicola Shore, Age UK Oldham, 10 Church Lane, Oldham, OL1 3AN

Or by email to nicola.shore@ageukoldham.org.uk

If you are new to filling in forms like this and need some help with, please let us know by ringing 0161 622 9257.