The Friends of Dunmuir Park Scottish Charity SC017823 report good news

The following report was sent to the Care Commission and copied to relevant Council officers, Elected Members, MSps, MPs, carers and press/media contacts on May 2nd as a “Good News” story.  Attached was the FDP Annual Report and accounts also submitted to OSCR.  It is an interesting comparison to see what a real volunteer charity can actually achieve when constrasted with a company or business like UCI, which is fairly described as a ‘pseudo’ charity by comparison.  This was sent by Mrs Mary Sproat – Chair of Trustees of ‘The Friends of Dunmuir Park’.

Dear Mrs Reid and all other recipients, including Elected Members, MSPs, carers and media contacts. 

A good news story.  At the FDP Trustees’ meeting at DPCH on Thurs 29/4, with most residents present, the attached Annual Report was approved.  Since we noted the Care Commission announced inspection on 9 & 10 June it was resolved to inform you and the local community of another successful year directly and actively supporting the excellent and unmatched model of care that Dunmuir Park represents.  This is the result of 30 years of organic development at the heart of a local and very caring, supportive community.  This report for y/e 31 Jan 2010 is now being submitted to OSCR.  A copy is available at DPCH, but I’m afraid it’s only a modest 4pp of A4 ink jet produced personally by unpaid volunteers, not a printed glossy brochure. 

We can report another year of adding vital ‘extras’ to the quality of life of residents, respite service users and many others helped by outreach who, as peers and friends of the residents, are able to come to the discos and other events, which would otherwise not be possible but for the ‘extra mile’ of the dedicated front line care staff.  At Easter, and especially last Christmas in the icy weather, their sensitive support was invaluable.  FDP can provide funds and practical help, but that is worthless without the dedicated carers.  Thanks are also due to our local Castle Douglas Golf Club for hosting these events so well, the food is superb, but the DP carers cannot be praised and thanked enough.  It is a source of great regret to FDP that too often the carers do not receive the recognition and support they fully deserve from their Council managers, not least in terms of their working environment.  

As you can read in the Report, The Friends of Dunmuir Park is a charitable unincorporated association, which was formed 28 years ago.  The purpose or object of The Friends, as recorded in our constitution, is “to promote the welfare of Residents at Dunmuir Park Care Home, 49 Dunmuir Road Castle Douglas”, which is a registered residential Care Home owned and operated by Dumfries & Galloway Council.  To achieve this object The Friends “shall collect and receive monies and funds by ways of contributions and donations and to organise various fund raising events.”  Our constitution requires these funds “to be used for the mutual help and support of the Residents of Dunmuir Park e.g. Holidays, Outings, Birthdays, Christmas and any other action or extra items required for the well-being of the Residents, as determined by the committee.”   

You can see that funds of £4,138 were raised, whilst only incurring a total ‘admin’ charge of £19.  That means £4,119 of cash to be spent benefitting the Residents, including grants to enable holidays away; birthday and Christmas gifts; other ad hoc visits; Christmas, Easter and other Discos; social activities with friends & families and supplying TV ‘digiboxes’ to assist the digital switchover.  We supplement the necessary care costs with extras and do not and will not subsidise these.    

The FDP Committee must once again gratefully acknowledged with thanks the continuing active support and generosity of the local community whether by donations, fundraising or in many other intangible ways.  Our local Coop must be thanked for allowing us space to sell Xmas raffle tickets and the customers for buying them at such a difficult time.  The most touching are often maligned youngsters, some in school uniform, who buy a ticket, “because it’s for Dunmuir Park”.  They really understand, as do others who just give a donation and refuse to take a ticket.  It is both humbling and uplifting to realise that people do really care and we wish to thank them all.    

So, after 29 years the Friends continue to be very proud of the way Dunmuir Park has become and remains such a successful and long standing real working example of ‘care in and by the community’.  DP the most cost effective model of care whether evaluated in emotional, welfare, quality of life or purely economic terms.  The latter very relevant in today’s circumstances and DP is therefore very hard to better.  With necessary improvements and the further development of Dunmuir Park, we all look forward to another 30 years building upon this very strong foundation of dedicated work by the front line care staff, being extremely proud of the very many small ways in which the local people of Castle Douglas welcome, embrace and meaningfully include the most vulnerable in their midst, which so greatly contributes to their quality of life.  

We will be asking the Editor of The Galloway News to accept a Readers’ letter from FDP giving these thanks and would welcome reading a ‘good news’ story in the paper, in which any of this message and the Annual Report may be freely quoted.  We will asking if any one would like to join the FDP and lend a hand.  For we should all be very proud that such a beacon of good practice is still available to learning disabled adults in Dumfries & Galloway and that earlier misguided notions of closure were rightly defeated.  We must all ensure the same remains true for the excellent ARC day facilities.  Perhaps our elected representatives would take note of what can be achieved by real ‘hands on’ unpaid volunteers in the community and properly listen to our many expert voices.  Please note these do not require to be mediated or represented by other very expensive organisations, who purport to advocate.  FDP does not seek or receive any funds from the Council or NHS and volunteers meet their own expenses.  I will be available for the Care Commission Announced Inspection in June, together with other Trustees.  Thank you.  Mary Sproat  Chair FDP