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Inspired Taskforce CIO · Charity No. 1206639
Creating a better world for older people
Built by the community, for the community; and powered entirely by the belief that getting older should mean getting bolder, not invisible.
Age Friendly Champion
🏆
📅
10+ years of
community impact
OUR MISSION
An ambitious older-person led organisation that aims to improve physical and mental well-being, increase friendships and reduce social isolation — starting in our own backyard in Levenshulme, Longsight and Gorton.
OUR VALUES AND AIMS
What we aim to do
1️⃣Champion the talents, skills and lived experience of older people everywhere
2️⃣Reduce isolation by facilitating new friendships and community connections
3️⃣Increase wellbeing and quality of life to improve confidence and independence
4️⃣Campaign and use our collective voice as a powerful agent of change
5️⃣Network with other services to improve outcomes for older people
What we believe in
❤️
Age-positive:
Older and bolder — always
🥰
Care:
For people and environment
🤝
Friendliness
Everyone belongs here
🤝
Kindness
A word and a smile go far
🫶
Inclusion
Valuing everyone equally
📚
Lifelong learning
Still growing after all these years
OUR STORY
How we got here — a journey built by the community
It all started with a need
The Inspired People's Project was born under the roof of Levenshulme Inspire — because the community showed us that older people needed social support. The uptake was bigger than anyone expected.
2014
We took action for change
The Inspired Taskforce launched as a campaigning organisation with the aim of making our area more Age friendly by taking action through protests and demonstrations to flag local issues to the city council to make change. How did we do it? By training taxi drivers in age awareness, fighting for benches on the high street, encouraging businesses to open their toilets and add seats on their stores, and getting dangerous potholes fixed by flagging them directly to Manchester City Council.
2016
Levenshulme becomes Age-Friendly
Levenshulme becomes Age-Friendly. After five years of community action, Levenshulme achieved area-wide Age-Friendly status. Real streets. Real benches. Real change.
2019
2021
The birth of Inspired Taskforce
Levenshulme Inspire decided to part ways with the Older People's Project. However, the project was too precious for the community and we wanted to reduce the effects of Covid-19 and its lockdowns. Therefore, the Inspired Taskforce was born as an independent organisation, with its own focus and projects. In order to continue running while the older people needed us through the pandemic, we decided to established as a Community Interest Company during Covid-19.
We gathered to support the older people
While the world locked down, we delivered prescription runs, at home repairs, hot meals, shopping trips, hospital transport, phone-a-friend networks and a community radio show on ALL FM.
2021
Building back
As lockdown lifted we launched a programme of activities to reengage our members back to their regular lives. It was not an easy task as Covid-19 instilled fear in older people and leaving their homes . We started with our Chair Dance Exercise at the Blue Bell to get those muscles moving and to build core strength; our Happy Mondays (Creative workshops) at Levenshulme Old Library to aid in social reengagement, our Digital Sessions at Northmoor Community Centre to provide support in bringing the gap between technology and age, and our Levy Lively trips to gain access to recreational activities; discussion groups at Blue Bell to provide mental support & stimulation.
2024
OFFICIAL CHARITY STATUS!
The Inspired Taskforce received it's charity status and continued to develop its programme of activities and services.
2026
Bigger, Bolder, Better
We expanded our programme to six out of seven days a week, offering a variety of activities including Happy Mondays creative workshops, Chair Dance Exercise, Mindful Movements, Book Club, Digital Buddies, Men's Breakfast Club, Sunday Lunches, day trips, health talks and events.
With the generous support of Noor Masjid Mosque, we introduced free fruit before every morning session, part of our ongoing campaign for healthy living in the community. We also launched our Information, Advice and Guidance service, helping members navigate benefits, housing and more every Thursday.
We recorded our very own song with the Royal Northern College of Music. We continued campaigning against fly-tipping alongside Neighbourhood Officers and local councillors. And we built new partnerships with Manchester City Council, the University of Manchester, local care organisations, the Community Care Navigator and Levenshulme Good Neighbours — making sure more people than ever can find us, join us and thrive with us.
WHO WE ARE
Led by the community, for the community.
Inspired Taskforce isn't run by outsiders looking in. Every trustee is an older person who lives locally. They know these streets, they use these services, they are the community.
9
Board of Trustees
200+
members
THE TEAM
Paul Belfield
Project Manager
Tatiana Guzman
Finance Admin, Social Media Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
Mark Lucas
Facilitator
Our volunteers
The heartbeat of everything we do
YOU BELONG HERE
Ready to be part of
something brilliant?
HOW TO CONTACT US?
You can reach us by:
📧
📱
07724 713 563
📍
Our offices are based at the Inspire Centre, where we rent office space( 747 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, M19 3DD).
All of our over 50’s activities are located in South Manchester, and are easily accessible by bus (Route: 150, 171, 191, 192, 197). Our activities are created by older people, for older people.
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