National Lottery funded community platform aims to tackle inequalities for Black men aged over 50

An Essex and London based community group has launched a new platform designed to reduce health, social and economic inequalities for Black men aged over 50, after being awarded over £100,000 by the National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

Over 50s Black Men Forum logo

The Over 50s Black Men Forum has used the funding to build a digital community engagement hub with a mission to improve the health of over 300,000 Black men in the UK, by providing a space to interact and share information. Members can access support across healthcare, leisure and financial services via a range of seminars, webinars and resources.

Since it was founded in 2018, the Over 50s Black Men Forum has sought to reduce inequalities found in the community through educational support and projects to aid personal development.

The platform provides third party organisations, such as Prostate Cancer UK and Anthony Nolan, direct access to its members to assist with health care and support.

Members can also access a support system that targets improved mental health by reducing feelings of isolation, loneliness and abandonment. Through shared lived experiences, participants are encouraged to share ideas and support one another.

Chidi Umeano, a volunteer at The Over 50s Black Men Forum, said: “I volunteered to support the good work this community does in bringing positive change to older Black men across the UK. I first attended an awareness session on Hypertension and Stress and saw many older Black faces looking back at me. I felt at ease discussing my personal health issues as I was speaking amongst people who understood my journey and pain.

“I look forward to supporting Black men across the UK with projects and services on this platform.”

Enitan Kane, Chairperson of The Over 50s Black Men Forum, said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players we can continue to grow our network and the information available to members to improve their opportunities in life.

“This funding is important because it is the first step in providing over 300,000 Black men across the UK with a support network to address the concerns that matter to them.”

Helen Bushell, Senior Head of Regional Funding for London, the South East and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are delighted this funding will support the Over 50s Black Men Forum to reduce health, social and economic inequalities in the community. Thanks to National Lottery players, projects such as this play a vital role in helping local communities to prosper and thrive.”

New members can join the Over 50s Black Men Forum’s online platform at https://o5bmforum.org.uk/ or download the app:

Google Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.o5bmforum.app171911&gl=GB
Apple store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/o50bm/id1643858406

Last year The National Lottery Community Fund awarded over half a billion pounds (£588.2 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK and supported over 14,000 projects to turn their great ideas into reality. National Lottery players raise more than £30 million* each week for good causes throughout the UK.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

Date published: 20 February, 2023
Region: England (South East, London)

Notes to Editors

About the Over 50s Black Men Forum

The Over 50s Black Men Forum is a pioneering UK community membership organisation that is taking a leading role in bringing together older Black men in identifying and addressing issues of concern to them, such as fear of isolation, loneliness, health issues, job security fears and anxiety of growing old.

Our Mission is to:

Improve the health of over 300,000 older Black men in the UK, making sure that nobody is missing out on a good later life
Improve economic opportunities for the Over 50s Black men community
Improve social inequalities by partnering with social services providers
Improve the artistic contribution of the older Black men community into the arts and heritage sector
Improve community togetherness amongst older Black men in the UK.

Our members have similar lived experiences, and come together to share ideas, learn together, mentor and support one another. Our monthly health webinars provide information on health issues, from Mental Health, Adult Learning, Diabetes and Hypertension to Cancers, Dementia and other underlying health issues.

Facebook: facebook.com/o5bmforum

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@o5bmforum

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest funder of community activity in the UK – we support people and communities to prosper and thrive.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

Our funding has a positive impact and makes a difference to people’s lives. We support projects focused on things that matter, including economic prosperity, employment, young people, mental health, loneliness and helping the UK reach net zero by 2050.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £43 billion has been raised for good causes. National Lottery funding has been used to support over 635,000 projects - 255 projects per postcode area.

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