A PENSIONERS’ group has urged more people to get involved with Sport Relief so more good causes can receive money like they have.

The Lordshill 10 Tenants Association in Southampton received a £1,000 grant to set up a craft club for residents and is urging more runners to sign up for this year’s Sport Relief Mile on March 25.

Tenants association member Andrea Webber is also calling on more community groups to apply for the Community Cash grants with the Daily Echo helping to distribute £50,000 to groups who help to transform lives across Hampshire.

Mrs Webber said their money is being used to help prevent loneliness and depression among sheltered housing residents in Lordshill and says their craft group meetings make a big difference.

She said: “This group is very important as elderly people do tend to sit and watch t e l evision and that can become very depressing for them.

If they don’t meet people then they don’t get to talk to anyone so it’s the social side of it that they miss and they become more inward if they stay by themselves.”

The tenants’ association is also looking at putting the money towards getting a fitness instructor to show pensioners how they can exercise their joints and arms safely while still sitting down.

The Sport Relief Mile setting off from Southampton’s Guildhall Square is one of 17 flagship events across the country but fundraisers can run or walk their own miles or come up with their own way to raise money for Sport Relief.

Community Cash

• THE Daily Echo is helping to distribute £50,000 from the Sport Relief Community Cash fund with the help of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation.

• THE grants of £500-£1,000 are available to small organisations in the south that are doing great work to help local people living tough lives.

• TO apply for a grant go to hantscf.org.uk or phone 01256 776101.

The Sport Relief Mile

THE Southampton Sport Relief Mile leaves from Guildhall Square and passes through Watts Park and Andrews Park. You can choose to do one, three or six miles. Fundraisers can arrange their own Sport Relief Mile to raise money, too. Enter the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in Southampton on Sunday, March 25 at sportrelief.com.