Struggling to socialise with his family and friends, Bill, alongside his wife Vivien (77), was referred to the Inspire Youth Zone in Chorley – a Cadent Centre for Warmth – for support. The Centre for Warmth programme was first launched by Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, in 2021 to provide support for people living in vulnerable situations.
Building close connections with local community centres, Cadent tailors its support to the needs of locals. Inspire Youth Zone in Chorley is one of the 350 centres in Cadent’s programme. The purpose-built facility was initially aimed at the town’s young people; however, the Centre for Warmth programme has enabled the hub to provide more support to older members of the community.
Bill and Vivien first visited the Centre for Warmth for energy support, given the new challenges the couple were facing following Bill’s illness. After receiving energy advice and household items which help to reduce energy consumption, such as a slow cooker and electric blankets, Bill was introduced to the centre’s wider support network and facilities, which includes a music room.
After visiting the centre for a couple of months, Vivien encouraged Bill to take to the piano to reignite his passion for music. After some initial hesitation, Bill eventually started to play for the first time in 12 months. a few months later, Bill joined the local band with other visitors of Inspire Youth Zone, culminating in a live concert in front of almost 100 people.
Bill said: “Suffering my second stroke, had a major impact on my life. I loved playing piano and so to lose that ability was a big shock to the system. It took some encouragement from my wife, but I eventually sat down on the piano and taught myself to play again. I think I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to play like I did before, but I’ve since learnt brand new styles and pieces that I hadn’t played previously. I was always a classical player, but now I have learnt rock music for the first time. Playing with the band has really helped my confidence.
“My story isn’t unique, but I want to show other stroke survivors that there is hope out there. I was adamant that I wouldn’t play piano again, but thanks to the support from the team at Inspire, I’ve reignited my love for music and that is priceless. Suffering from a stroke is a worrying experience, but joining community groups is one of the best things I’ve done and would recommend to everyone.”
The Centre for Warmth hasn’t just helped Bill. His wife, Vivien, has also benefited from the community that has been created at Inspire Youth Zone. Vivien has subsequently joined the table tennis group and attended the Valentine dance, where the band performed.
Vivien said: “This Centre has been such a huge support for me and my husband. We’ve received lots of energy advice from the Cadent programme, which has helped to keep heating bills down during winter. More importantly, I’ve seen how it’s supported Bill. Watching him perform in the band was an emotional experience and I just can’t believe how far he has come. I’m an incredibly proud wife.”
Vanessa Bolton-Handscombe, Cadent Project Officer at Inspire Youth Zone Chorley, said: “Receiving the funding from Cadent to become a Centre for Warmth has allowed us to provide visitors with vital support, including energy and debt advice, as well as benefit entitlement checks. Crucially, it helps people who might either be lonely or living in isolation, such as Bill and Vivien, as we often find visitors stick around after the energy efficiency sessions. To see Bill play piano again is something we should all be proud of, and we encourage anyone who has suffered from a stroke, or indeed just needs a little bit of support, to visit one of Cadent’s Centres for Warmth if they are able to.”
To find out more about the Centre for Warmth programme, please visit www.cadentgas.com/cfw.