Closing community group vows to continue support

Lowestoft Rising was a partnership between East Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council, Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, Suffolk Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner

The team behind a partnership set up more than 10 years ago to improve mental health and physical wellbeing has vowed to continue its work after news that the service is to close.

Organisers of the north Suffolk-based Lowestoft Rising said key areas would now be handed over to other local groups.

Lowestoft Rising was established in 2013 to work with voluntary groups and schools, introducing mental health ambassadors, developing the Walk and Talk scheme - and organising the first mental health conference in Suffolk.

It has been praised for supporting Lowestoft Community Church to retain a food bank, introducing the Lowestoft Food Network - and working with street drinkers and rough sleepers through the Thin Ice project.

Lowestoft Rising began as a partnership between East Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council, Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, Suffolk Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

East Suffolk Council said it had played an important role across the town, including the creation of a physical health and wellbeing network and working closely with the Lowestoft and northern parishes Community Partnership.

Several other voluntary and community organisations were also involved, including Access Community Trust and Community Action Suffolk.

The council also said through Lowestoft Rising, the Lowestoft Collaboration Academy was developed with 80 people trained in collaborative working.

'Laid foundations'

Change manager at Lowestoft Rising, Phil Aves, is also set to retire this summer.

''With some of the partners no longer able to fund Lowestoft Rising going forward, it has come to a natural end," he said.

"From school children to homeless people, from health matters to pride-related matters, Lowestoft Rising has delivered across the system to help the town improve.

"I hope that with the opening of the new third crossing that the town is better united to take Lowestoft forward.''

Nicole Rickard, head of communities and leisure at East Suffolk Council, said: "Lowestoft Rising has been instrumental in supporting and delivering a huge range of projects over the past decade, all of which have improved the lives of local people in a myriad of ways.

"The project brought public and voluntary sector organisations together to work collaboratively and provide joined-up services for the benefit of the town, introduced new services where gaps were identified and laid the foundations for many of the services supporting local residents in Lowestoft today."

Services provided by the project will now be allocated to other organisations including the Lowestoft Place Board, the Community Partnership, East Suffolk’s Communities Team and the Cultural Education Partnership.