/ Registered Charity No: 1011780

Minutes

Trustees Meeting, Okehampton Centre

2 Crediton Road, Okehampton.

Date: Monday, Monday, 9th Dec 2013 at 7.00 pm.

Venue:Beryl Perkins, 67a Exeter Road, Okehampton, EX20 1QF

  1. Welcome to prospective trustee:

The chair thanked Beryl Perkins for hosting the meeting and welcomed Edna Hicks and Barbara Dalton to the meeting.

  1. All trustees were present: Janeene Nicholas - Chair, Helen Turner Treasurer, Barrie Duke Chief Officer and Secretary, Ann Hain, Beryl Perkins, Margaret Church, Tony Dion and Graham Reynolds.
  1. Minutes of the last meeting– were approved and signed as correct by the chair
    [9thNovember 2013]
  2. Mattersarising:
  3. Take a Break Application – Chair and Barbara Dalton to meet before Christmas to finalise paperwork for an application to be made in the New Year.
  4. Complex Care – it was agreed that the CVS was in breach of contract regarding our funding. The payment schedule has now been rectified.
  5. Charity Commission Trustee details updates completed for M Church.
  6. Foot Care leaflet requests are increasing and Chagford Health centre accept the need for an authorisation for clients.
  7. NHS Travel grant application approved for a client.
  8. Older Peoples Day – 19th Sept 2013. The chair and B Dalton reported that the event had been a good networking event but there were few older people who came to the event for the talks.
  1. Appointment of trustee: Edna Hicks. Proposed by the Secretary and seconded by T Dion.

The proposal was unanimously approved by the meeting and Edna was welcomed as a new trustee. It was to be noted that Edna had been a Councillor for West Devon Borough and not for Okehampton Town Council.

  1. Reports:
  2. Finances – The Treasurer presented her report.
  3. It was to be noted that donations to the charity had not suffered despite the fragility of the economy.
  4. The current level of expenditure, producing a deficit of £ 3,716, was in line with the budget expectations for the financial year.
  5. The balance of £23,888.00 remained a healthy amount to cover current commitments.
  1. Organisation – The Chief Officer presented his report.
  2. The trustees approved of our working with Barclays Bank supporting IT training.
  3. The visits to the Devon prisons for Benefit Information and Advice had revealed the increasing complexity of the state welfare system for older people and the difficulty of explaining it along with the delays and changes that are continuing to effect welfare delivery. It may not be possible to continue this support.
  4. Statistics from Age Concern Crediton for their number of contacts for Home Support would be ascertained to add to the Funding Report currently being compiled for the Comic Relief Home Support project.
  5. A poster for the Castle Ham Foot Care Clinic will be created. There is an urgent need for a suitable couch to be situated on the premises. Funding could be raised locally, e.g. WDBC, Rotary, Lions, Okehampton Hamlets. Holditch Charity. [Note: We received £500 from the Holditch charity this year for administrative costs. Not reported to the meeting].
  6. The need to continue to improve the nature of the Shop and Crediton Road centre was raised. The Chief Officer reported:
  7. Shop income had dropped drastically and requests for general information were increasing on the internet and few people came to the centre for that type of help; the immediate area had apparently had a low footfall for weeks.
  8. It would be better to concentrate activity on finding alternative premises that would meet the changing needs of older people in the area and raise a more acceptable profile rather than divert our energy and funds to refurbishing premises that have little relevance or suitability for current needs.
  9. No action was agreed.
  10. The chair reported that the Complex Care project would be reworked for the coming year and we needed clarification on whether all partners to the scheme would still be involved.
  11. It was agreed that presentation of the Town Council grant cheque by the Mayor of Okehampton would be arranged for Friday 3rd January 2014 hopefully in the town council chambers for a photo to be taken.
  1. Home Support Report– Barbara Dalton – Project Manager.
    Summary of first year of the project.
  2. Barbara has run the project since September 2012 and currently has 9 trained volunteers visiting older people at home. She has had 54 referrals of whom 45 have received home visits.
  3. The project has resulted in much positive support for isolated and some lonely people. One quote is ‘You have brought the outside in’. New friends have been made and simple help has been given. Volunteers also reported that they have benefitted from their work.
  4. There is a need for volunteers to escort clients and take them out for a short drive. The administrative implications needed to be considered for meeting such a separate service.
  5. We have been able to achieve an understanding with TorrAge, based in Torrington, that their visiting scheme would cover Winkleigh whilst Age Concern Okehampton and Torridge Home Support would cover the Halwill Junction area.
  6. The ‘Ping Pong’ project had been well received in Kent House with early reticence making way to keen involvement which had been especially effective for some older people with dementia.
  7. The chair thanked Barbara for her report and for the work she is doing.
  1. Development Report: Barrie Duke.
  2. The West Devon Borough Information centre in St James Street needed to be added to the list of potential premises. A move is being considered to the rooms above the library. It was noted that a lift would be required.
  3. The Exeter Arms had been re-advertised for sale earlier in the day. The Chief Officer would notify the agent of our continuing interest.
  4. Discussion was held on the merits of proceeding, whether we should rent, new build or adapt existing premises.
  5. It was recognised that:
  6. The premises needed to be near the centre of the town and especially accessible to people who walk.
  7. The need for the expansion of our existing sale of used disability aids and hire of wheelchairs into a disability centre was pressing.
  8. Comfortable, easily accessible space for offering specialised information for older people, the provision of service appointment booking and disabled toilet facilities was of paramount importance.
  9. More suitable space for internet training and the use of mobile devices is needed along with activity space where older people can run and plan sessions them themselves.
  10. We need to find more permanent premises which will welcome older people and stop us from moving every ten years or so.
  11. It was agreed that this charity should actively look for the provision of alternative, suitable premises.
  12. The Chief Officer would try to discover moves made by larger charities in the town to find alternative premises
  13. He would pursue the support of a potential President for the organisation
  14. He would follow up on a prior offer of help in supporting our development process.
  1. Anyotherbusiness:
  2. Fairplace Christmas Bazaar.
  3. The chair thanked Edna for organising a Christmas Bazaar at Fairplace church on the previous Saturday.
  4. The sum of £143 was raised for the Home Support scheme with £25 to be paid for hire of the premises.
  1. Okehampton United Charity Celebration Evening
  2. Tony and Barrie would prepare the display boards and leaflets to make a stand at the event.
  1. The date of the next meetingwas agreed as Monday 10th Feb 2014at 7 pm. Venue to be notified.