Minute

Chairs: Bryan Duncan and Luan Grugeon

Date
Venue / Thursday 26th November 2015
Community Centre, Fraserburgh
Attendance / Bryan Duncan (Chair)
Moira Davidson (Minutes)
Tanja Mehrer
Laura McAllister
Sheila McAlinden
Jane Mills
Aileen Reid
David Ashton Booth
Dave Taylor / Donald McPhee
Graham Davidson
Craig Bruce
Diane Ord
Toby McKillop
Stafford Black
Barbara Reid
Helen Elphinstone
Julie Robertson / Rosina Borthwright
Gerry Beattie
Lilian Tait
Calvin Little
Jean Adams
Derek Jones
Lisa Summers
Brenda McGinlay
Apologies / Wayne Gault
Pixie McLean
Luan Grugeon
Janet Tennant
Andrea Fraser
Agreement of last minute / Previous minutes were agreed.
Action
Welcome / Bryan welcomed those present. Bryan read out a letter of resignation from Luan that she had written to the Forum.
Conversation Cafe / ‘Engaging with communities and fostering community activism – what can the Forum do and where do you see yourself fit into this role?’
Bryan and Tanja facilitated two groups to discuss the above topic. Themes that came from the discussions were for better advertising of what’s out there in the community, for real life stories and having lots of conversation cafes, a big blether and drop ins/buses.
To spread the work we needed volunteers/activists.
NPS Litter Peterhead Town Centre / The forum are looking for people to pick up NPS packets which are found on the street and take them to a central point. This would be used to monitor what is on the streets in terms of NPS. Bryan was unsure where the central point was although he will find out and circulate that information. It was suggested perhaps the Street Pastors and Community Wardens might take part.
Update from Services and Projects / Signposting Project – David will be in the café for 45 minutes after today’s meeting for anyone who would like to speak with him.
Cair Scotland – Diane and Laura spoke about a 6 week course to be offered from the 18th January next year in the Turning Point Scotland Office up in Banff and a similar course in Huntly. This will be for 12-15 people who are in recovery and looking to cascade skills to others on topics like healthy eating, healthy sleep, hygiene and future goals. Diane said they hoped at some point to run a similar course in Peterhead.
Aberdeen Foyer – offer a counselling and telephone service. They are not just in Aberdeen but out in the shire as well. They are running an 8 week course ‘living life to the full’ to start in January in Fraserburgh. This has already been a successful course for 12 -1 4 people. Information to be emailed round the forum.
Turning Point Scotland – the Banff Office have opened up on a Friday afternoon to offer music, craft activities and confidence to cook groups.
David and Janet will be meeting in the Acord Centre, Inverurie on the 17th December for anyone engaged with services to come along and offer ideas about David and Janet’s role and what they can get involved in.
Kessock Clinic – Dave advised the clinic will be closing down early next year and they will be moving premises. Dave was unsure where as there was still a lot of stigma in the community about where they will be based.
Aileen introduced her new role as Chip Officer to ask as an interface between the third sector and public.
Shield Project Salvation Army – Their drop in will be continuing in Peterhead on a Tuesday from 1-3 pm and Fraserburgh from 12-2pm. They offer food, games, help with clothes, food parcels. They will put round posters.
Kessock Needle Exchange – Jean advised from the 1st December for the next month that she will have a computer there to gain information from people about their ideas and feedback about the Needle Exchange and what the community wants.
The forum spoke about having a page for anyone who wants to find out what help is available for drugs or alcohol in the community. It would be a page online possibly for anyone who searches on google for drugs Aberdeenshire or alcohol Aberdeenshire. The idea would be for links on the pages for people to choose what service they want. Everyone agreed this sort of directory would need time and resources and Tanja pointed out that these types of things within 3 months become out of date unless regularly updated. It would also be important to ensure we are not duplicating something that is already there. Stafford said as she was not working just now she would be willing to start something. Tanja agreed to liaise with Stafford and update at the next meeting.
Bryan said drugs action had ongoing services throughout the festive period.
A Guide to Alcohol and Drug Services available in Central Aberdeenshire over the Festive Period / Tanja is working on a guide that would let people know where to go over the Festive Period. Tanja was looking for services to provide her with the information over the next week on any activities, Xmas meals, drop ins, opening hours.
Recovery Cafe / Banff Recovery Café had their opening night which was a great success. They will open every Friday between 4 – 6.30 pm on Bridge Street in Banff.
Forum Activities and Events / Tanja said there was a lot now happening in-between meetings and the sub group had planned a lot over the past year.
Toby told the forum about the filming project who aim to produce a 10-15 minute film clip to raise awareness about recovery in the community, show it in a positive light and challenge stigma through testimonies of live experience.
On the 12th December Drummers Corner in Peterhead community organisations will be presenting themselves on a Saturday afternoon. The forum plan to have a stall with leaflets and hot mince pies and mulled wine with the theme of how to survive Xmas.
Tanja asked for support from the forum by way of volunteers to help. Aileen, Jean and Derek all offered to help. Diane said she would get back to Tanja.
Big Blether Event / A Steering Group will be working to organise a Big Blether event on a Saturday in March.
The event will have the theme recovery and have conversation cafes, groups to participate. The Steering Group had their first meeting yesterday with the next one planned for the 7th January.
They are still looking for a venue to hold 150 people with branch out rooms. Possibilities are MacB in Mintlaw, Football Club or Peterhead Community Centre.
Tanja’s update / Tanja gave an update on her role to the forum.
Funding Applications
Funding Sub Group
Funding Criteria, guidance and paperwork / Finance – the current bank balance is £2,927.52. Last year we spent £13,970 and so far this year we have spent £5546.25.
Bryan said we had not drawn down any money last year and would need to do so shortly.
We have received five funding applications. They have all been looked at by our sub group other than the Solid Rock application which came in late yesterday.
The others have all been agreed in principle –
Smart Recovery Group – Fraserburgh were looking for £250 for a printer, ink cartridges and a mobile phone. The printer would be available to other community groups.
Street Pastors – were looking for £1,000 toward uniforms and training. Bryan has asked them to provide some more information and it is hoped someone will come along to talk to us about how the money would be spent. Last year we received a fantastic report from the Street Pastors
Bridge Café – Banff were looking for £800 for ongoing costs to buy provisions for the first 6 months. The forum had agreed to hold the money and distribute as required.
Filming Project - £3,000 which is the top end of their funding application, about raising the profile of the forum and recovery.
Solid Rock Café – were looking for £3,000 (£500 for a TV to be used for training, group work and movie nights and £2500 toward running costs to include Xmas dinner at the Solid Rock Café). As the application had come in late it had not yet been looked at. Bryan advised they would get an answer in the next week or so. At the last meeting people had asked how to access the café and what their opening hours were. It would be good to get a bit more detail and Tony asked due to the links with Teen Challenge and Sunnybrae if the café received funding from there also as they did a lot of fundraising. The forum asked what percentage is being put in themselves and do they have their own funding.
Funding Sub Group – due to dwindling numbers the sub group were looking for new members. David from Signposting agreed to take part.
The chairs have been looking at the forum’s funding criteria and have rejigged the paperwork as it was felt the current forms were not fit for purpose.
New forms are now available.
AOCB / The forum have always said the biggest resource is the people in the community where there are a huge amount of skills.
A pool of skills and knowledge is in the planning.
Time, Date and Venue of next meeting(s) / It had been suggested we hold the North Forum in different locations next year. Ideas were Mintlaw, Turriff and Portsoy. The North Forums have always been on a Thursday. It was suggested we use the Banff Recovery Café for a meeting, Tanja said she would need to speak with them to see if we could use the café on a Thursday.
Date and Venue for next meeting to be confirmed.

North Aberdeenshire Alcohol Drugs BBV Forum

Minute 26th November 2015