New grant scheme for care settings

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week 2023, charity Vegetarian for Life (VfL) has launched a new grant for care settings, with a focus on quality

VfL is the UK care charity working exclusively for older vegans and vegetarians. Chair of the VfL board, Dr Barbara Sharp, explains more about the scheme. 

Aim of the new Vegetarian for Life Care Award for Care Settings 

Whilst the charity already recognises excellence in care catering, this new scheme has a different focus.  The new grant will support care initiatives that improve life for older people, while recognising the importance of them being vegan or vegetarian.  

Being vegan or vegetarian is much more than a dietary choice – it is core to an older person’s ethical, spiritual and philosophical beliefs. Many things across a person’s lifespan will have influenced such personal choices and practices. These beliefs are an important aspect of personal identity and integral to a veg*n's quality of life.

Who can apply and when? 

Applications must be from a care setting that provides support to one or more older people who are vegan or vegetarian. Applications are welcomed from anyone working or volunteering within the care setting, or from those providing ongoing support, such as family and friends.  

We would especially welcome applications that demonstrate engagement between the older person(s), care staff, families and/or the wider community. Proposals may focus on the life of either one, or a group of older people. 

Grants will be awarded on a rolling programme to applicants judged to have submitted the best proposals which enhance the lives of older vegans and vegetarians. The call for applications and submission dates will be advertised across care sector networks, social media and detailed on the Vegetarian for Life website.  

Criteria  

VfL is keen to encourage creativity, so only the essential criteria and some broad indicators are provided, to assist your application: 

• The proposal must be clear about how it will enhance the life of the older person(s) in relation to them being vegan or vegetarian. 
• Details are given of how the beneficiaries of the proposal have been involved in preparing the application. 
• Details are set out of how the award is to be spent, itemising costs as accurately as possible. 
• The manager (if they are not the applicant) of the care setting should counter-sign the application or email VfL (info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk) to confirm their approval and support for the initiative, and acceptance of associated conditions. 
• The proposed initiative needs to be completed or substantially progressed within a maximum of 1 year of the award being made. 
• At the end of the funding period (1 year), successful applicants will supply a short article of approximately 500 words for publication by VfL. The article should describe how the initiative has been brought to fruition, the impact on the lives of older vegans and vegetarians and, if appropriate, other residents or service users. VfL can support you in preparing your article if required. 
• You can submit only one application per call for submissions, but you can apply again on future dates. This may encourage you to consider small scale achievable initiatives without undermining any future opportunities – small changes can make a big difference! 

Here is some further guidance which may help you to complete your application: 

• Consider ideas beyond the ‘food on the plate’. Older vegans and vegetarians are likely to be interested in related concerns, such as animal welfare and rights, the environment, food quality, production, and sustainability. Can these connections be enhanced?  
• Consider the experience around eating and the value of connecting with other like-minded individuals. Can you enhance this aspect of a person’s life? 
• It can be useful to consider the role veganism or vegetarianism plays in a person’s life – can this aspect of personal identity be enhanced or better supported?  
• Does your initiative have additional benefits to staff and volunteers in terms of their understanding of what is important to the older people they support, to assist their practice and professional development?  

Submitting your proposal 

Please use only the VfL form specific to this grant award and return it to the address provided. 

What happens next? 

Each application will be judged on its individual merit by the Trustees of VfL, whose decision is final. 

You will be notified of the outcome via email within 4 weeks of the completed application being submitted. 

For further information: 

Email: info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk or call 0161 257 0887. 

You can read more about the award here.