The beauty of Saltburn beach proved a big hit with a diverse group of people from as far afield as Afghanistan and Zambia thanks to a Big Lottery funded project called Ageing Better Middlesbrough.
Representatives from nine different countries, now living in Middlesbrough, visited the picturesque resort town as part of Mend the Gap, one of 10 innovation fund projects funded by Ageing Better Middlesbrough. Mend the Gap is managed by Investing in People and Culture in partnership with Middlesbrough Environment City.
Focusing on members from the black, asian, minority and ethnic communities, Mend the Gap’s trip to Saltburn was designed to give people a space to reflect on loneliness and isolation while enjoying nature and making new friends.
Bini Araia from Investing in People and Culture said: “The beach was the perfect location for our first trip out – it helped get people talking, feel more relaxed and showed them how amazing our local area is.
“We know that a day trip will not stop people from feeling lonely or isolated but it is a good way to start a conversation with people, to listen to life stories and find out how we can help these often harder to reach groups engage more with the wider community.
“We encourage the group to continue exploring the area and travelled to Saltburn on train to show them how easy it can be. Most of the group were surprised it was less than £5 for the return ticket too.
“We are looking forward to visiting other beautiful parts of the North East.”
Kevin Price, Ageing Better Middlesbrough
“Our innovation fund projects are helping us find out about these issues in black, Asian, minority and ethnic communities, and consider how we can develop existing assets within communities to help reduce the impact of loneliness and isolation.”
Find out more about Ageing Better Middlesbrough, including how to sign up for its free membership at www.