Ryde Town Council are delighted to announce £20,000 of brand new funding along with a brand new strategic partnership for the Ryde Information and Support Service (RISS).
RISS is going from strength to strength with the increased funding ensuring the service will be able to continue to help support the community from its base at Ryde Library with extended hours including important sessions in evenings and at weekends.
The new hours are:
Monday 10am to 3pm
Tuesday 9am to 3pm
Friday 9am to 3pm
The first Wednesday of every month 5pm to 7pm
The first Saturday of every month 10am to 12 noon
Ryde Town Council Community Officer Alison Pearce says:
“It is important to remember that a lot of people working full time jobs are also often struggling to get the information and support they need. That is why the sessions outside the normal working hours are so crucial.”
These additional sessions are funded through a £20,000 grant from the National Lottery’s Awards for All programme.
Alison continues:
“We were thrilled when our grant application was successful. RISS is proving important to so many people already and the number of visitors is only increasing. Because of this, and to assist our staff in dealing with all the enquiries, we have welcomed two volunteers who are going to allow us to help more people than ever in the coming months.”
RISS is the informal drop-in advice service provided by Ryde Town Council and supported by a number of other neighbouring Town and Parish Councils. In the first six months that RISS has been operating the service has been visited over 570 times and has helped people to:
- Access information
- Manage paperwork
- Use online services
- Complete forms/application
- Access advice services
RISS has also been selected by the Footprint Trust to work in partnership on a Fuel Poverty Project.
Laura Stichbury of the Footprint Trust commented:
We are delighted to be working with RISS. As a local fuel poverty charity, helping people reduce their utility bills, we find that lots of people also struggle with their financial management. Many of our elderly or more vulnerable clients may not be able to access online help. Having the ability to apply for information, benefits and debt support face to face with a friendly team is invaluable and will really make a difference to people’s lives.
Keith Sheldrake, RISS Manager welcomes anyone who has an issue they would like to talk through:
“Feeling a bit stuck with paperwork or struggling to access services online? You’re not alone! Our local drop-in service offers free, friendly, and informal chats. Whether you would like help with understanding post, applying for benefits, or just need reassurance that you’re on the right track, we’re here to listen and walk you through every step. If we can’t help, we’ll make sure to connect you with someone who can.”