NEWS

Rising demand for an older people’s grass cutting scheme has contributed to another huge year for Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) – but future funding challenges remain. In 2025, there were more than 17,500 interactions with WiSE – which delivers range of services that help people stay connected, active and independent. The number of grass cuts and winter maintenance visits WiSE provides shot up from 500 to 600 last year, but BBC Children In Need (CIN) funding for the scheme ends in March. Other stand out successes for the charity included the WiSE Owl Cafe, which reached a…

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) is launching a Christmas tree removal service this winter to boost funding for one of its most popular services. WiSE’s Grass Cutting Scheme is currently funded by BBC Children in Need, but a policy change will leave the project with a £40,000 deficit next year. To help, WiSE has set up a Christmas tree removal service as an extra service for winter work for the Grass Cutting Scheme when the winter work is quieter. Mark Dobson, Chief Operating Officer at WiSE, said: “For years we have worked in partnership with Wetherby Young Offenders…

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) has responded to growing demand for falls prevention by offering a new course of strength and balance exercise classes. WiSE has funded dance instructor Kat Burgess’ ‘Later Life’ qualification through Active Leeds – which focuses on reducing inactivity and increasing the level of physical activity in the city.  The new Falls Management Exercise (FaME) classes start in January and involve a mixture of chair-based and standing strength and balance exercises which can be repeated at home. They are designed to improve strength, balance and co-ordination for people with low mobility. Kat Burgess, who…

A Wetherby charity trustee has added two more races to an already impressive running schedule- and has promised to do more if the donations keep rolling in. Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) trustee Hugh Douglas-Roberts originally promised to race a combined 86km across four events between now and December. But a bumper donation from his dad prompted the running newbie too add the additional dates and now Hugh says he’ll run three marathons in three days if he receives enough donations. Hugh says he’s been inspired to raise funds having seen first hand the difference the charity makes…

A charity café visited by more than 5,000 people across Wetherby has celebrated its third birthday. Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) launched its Welcome Café three years ago to support people of all ages as they battled the cost of living crisis. The café had proved so successful that the short term initiative became a permanent fixture as part of Voluntary Action Leeds’ award-winning ‘Warm Spaces’ scheme. Debbie, who runs the activities at WiSE, said: “We are so proud of Welcome Café. We wanted to help people who were worried about turning their heating on as the energy…