Annual report 2024

Cromarty Care Project:  Annual Report

Denise McIntosh, Chairperson

Opening Remarks:

It has been another busy year for Cromarty Care Project!  We began the year by sorting out our Larder storage with a new shed on the Larder site; we collaborated on the first of – hopefully, many –  intergenerational projects at Cromarty Primary School; and we successfully bid for grants to continue our work in the community.  These are the details:

The Community Sharing Larder

The Larder has seen increasing use over the past year.  With our funding from the Corra Foundation, North Highland Initiative and a top-up from Local Giving, we were able to increase the stock we bought from Booker’s Wholesalers.  We have also continued to receive supermarket surplus from FareShare, and the local Masonic Lodge have generously donated clothing and children’s toys as well as foodstuffs.

Special thanks go to trustees Karen Mackay and Jane Bentley who have taken over the supervising of the Larder and to Maxine Chapman and Karen Mackay for shopping at Booker’s.  Special thanks also, as ever, to our wonderful volunteers who check and re-stock the Larder every day.

Our big news this year, is the Larder Shed!  The Shed was funded by a grant from North Highland Initiative’s Community Infrastructure Programme and was delivered and installed for free by Fettes Sawmill.  The new shed has made such a difference to our storage capacity and has also really helped our volunteers, who now have the Larder stock right next to the Larder cupboard.  Our thanks to Tris Chapman for waterproofing the shed for us.

With funding from the Marsh Charitable Trust, we were able to install heavy duty shelving.  Many thanks to Ryan McManus who built the shelving for us.  Also, thanks to Keith Greenfield who is currently doing a bit of repair work to the Larder cupboard.  We also want to thank Cromarty Community Development Trust, who allowed us to erect the shed at Townlands Barn. 

There has been some concern this year that one or two people may have been stockpiling from the Larder, or even that people from out of town have been using it.  The Larder, as you know, is never locked.  

The Trustees, with help from our volunteers, are monitoring the situation.  However, we firmly believe that the Larder needs to be available at any time for people in the community who truly need it.  That might mean that a few people abuse that trust.  But we are convinced that the larder should be a safety net for those who, for whatever reason, are struggling.

We know that some people who have at one time benefitted from the Larder, have later on donated to the Larder themselves.  And it is very gratifying to hear about comments made to our volunteers from passers-by, recognising the support we are offering.  It is clear that our funders, who have been so generous, also acknowledge the value of what the Larder stands for.

Winter Fuel Payments

With the continuing cost-of-living crisis, it was decided that we should again offer fuel payments and, in January, 61 households each benefitted from a £50 payment.  We were able to offer these payments thanks to the generous award we received of £1500 from the Open Gardens Committee, which we then topped up from our own reserves.

The Monday Lunch Club

The Lunch Club re-convened at the start of October 2023 at the Fishertown Inn and concluded there on 18th March 2024.  We received excellent feedback from the Club members about the quality of the food and the surroundings and we want to express our appreciation to Ingrid and Pete for looking after the Lunch Club so well.  With funding from the Bank of Scotland Foundation, we were able to offer a two-course lunch at only £3 for each member.  

We had hoped that we would find an alternative home for the Lunch Club throughout the summer, but that proved impossible.  Then, following suggestions from Lunch Club members themselves, we approached Cromarty Primary School – and the Summer Café was born!  Over the Summer Term, pupils in P6 and P7 extended their hospitality, which included:  planning meals, preparing food (including home-baking), serving at tables, providing musical entertainment and playing board games with Lunch Club members – a truly intergenerational project, and such a success, that the school will be hosting another Summer Café this year! The school received extra equipment for the school kitchen and new school aprons for the children, all funded by our Bank of Scotland Foundation grant.  Even so, we were unable to make use of the whole grant of £8,900 and had to return £4,000 in September.  However, we are happy to report that this did not jeopardise our second year of funding from the Bank of Scotland, which will allow us to cover core costs across various projects in the coming year.

Classic Film Club (Helen Charley)

The Classic Film Club has gone from strength to strength this year and is certainly meeting the needs of many elderly folk, who have an opportunity to get out and watch a good film in good company.  We were delighted that, with funding last year from the Bank of Scotland Foundation and the Albert Hunt Trust, we were able to offer 2 films a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays.  From August 2023 to September 2024, we showed 19 films, one of which had two screenings, as it involved Cromarty and its people (“Another Time, Another Place”).  We have had a total of 440 people over the year – attendances from 11 to 36 – in the latter case, one person unfortunately had to be turned away!  This gives an average of 22 people at each screening.

Donations were collected before the grants were confirmed and these totalled £600.94.  The purchase of DVD’s totalled £177.80.  Since we now have full funding in place for this year, the Classic Film Club have given the remainder donations of £423.14 to Cromarty Care Project for all their help.

A survey of Club members was recently conducted and the results were very encouraging.  Most comments referred to the opportunity to get out, meet with others and enjoy a good film in pleasant surroundings.  Several were glad of the daytime screenings and being able to bring friends who were otherwise unable to go to a cinema.

We are, as ever, very grateful to Grazyna, who checks films beforehand and to Gail for dealing with the finance.  All of us are delighted with the new car park!  We are so pleased that the recent grant award from the Port of Cromarty Firth, for £2,040, will ensure the Classic Film Club continues.  Many thanks to all at CCP who have made this possible.

 

Cycling Without Age Tricycles (Maxine Chapman)

The Trikes have taken around 50 passengers on trips throughout the past year.  We have regular requests for trike taxis to the Monday Lunch Club and the Classic Film Club.  In addition to this, the trikes have been used during annual community events such as the Open Gardens Weekend and the Crime and Thrillers Weekend.  This year, residents from Strathallan House in Strathpeffer visited Cromarty and we were able to offer trike tours of Cromarty, with our own pilot cycling along with a Strathpeffer pilot!

In spring, summer and autumn, the trikes are stored in The Sheddie at the Victoria Hall.  They have now been moved to their winter storage, David and Susan Kent’s garage, to allow easier access for the gritters at The Sheddie.  We are very grateful to the Victoria Hall and to David and Susan Kent for their continued support.

Nigel Shapcott is currently training two new pilots – Maxine and husband Tris – and hopes to take on the training of two more pilots in the spring.  Alasdair Matheson is handing over the servicing of the trikes to Tristan Chapman.  Our thanks go to Alasdair for all his work in servicing the trikes for us.  Special appreciation also to our regular pilots, Robert Hogg and Alistair Hourston, and our trainer/pilot, Nige Shapcott.

Table Tennis (Alan Rycroft)

The Table Tennis Club continues to meet at Victoria Hall on Mondays between 10.30 and 12 noon, with individual donations of around £3.  Earlier this year a third table was introduced.  Many thanks to Alan Plampton for his helpful co-operation in that respect.  Participating numbers have increased over the past few months, occasionally reaching 14.  We hope that, as word gets around, more people will become members.  A few sessions were sacrificed over the summer, to allow the youngsters to use the Hall during the holidays, when inclement weather was anticipated.  We all felt that the youngsters’ needs should have priority.  On a couple of occasions, though, the young folk joined TT Club members during Monday sessions, which were enjoyed by all.

Babies and Toddlers Playgroup (Nichola McDonald)

The Playgroup has continued this year in the Victoria Hall on Tuesdays during term-time, from 10 – 11.30 a.m.  The contribution per family has increased this year from £1.50 to £2.00.  Approximately 12 families participate and the number of wee ones can be as many as twenty!

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Outreach Programme has come back to Cromarty this year.  We are very pleased to be sponsoring a CAB adviser, who holds face-to-face sessions on the third Tuesday of every month.  We greatly appreciate all the support of Cromarty and District Community Council at the Victoria Hall.  CAB have also been supplying us with very practical information, which we have been posting on the Cromarty Community Newsletter.

Seagull Trust Cruises

We have only participated in one cruise on the Caledonian Canal this year, which took place at the end of August with 6 Cromarty residents.  Despite the obvious enjoyment of previous participants, the lack of interest this year was disappointing.  Hopefully we will be able to drum up more support for next season.

“Chairs for Chats” Bench

In August, a bench was installed at the sheltered housing in Townlands.  This was made possible with funding from “Making a Difference Locally”, with help from Marcel and Kitty at the local Nisa Retail shop.  Our thanks to Colin Keith for providing the concrete slabs and installation, and also to Highland Council for their permission. 

Care Provision in Cromarty

We are relieved to report that the home care situation in Cromarty has eased considerably this year and we are not aware of any outstanding need.  Care providers, Eilean Dubh Homecare, still need more staff in Rosemarkie, Fortrose and Avoch, so we are continuing to advertise for carers on their behalf in the Community Newsletter.

Trustees

This year we said goodbye to Dr Jill Stoner, BEM, our founder and first Chairperson, who left Cromarty in June.  A special lunch, hosted by the Royal Hotel, included Trustees and volunteers, past and present.  Jill was presented with a unique ceramic jug, designed and made by local potter, Bärbel Dister and decorated with scenes of Cromarty.  Jill has been such a driving force for Cromarty Care Project and we were so sorry to see her go, but I know I speak on behalf of all the Trustees when I say we are determined to continue and build on Jill’s legacy.

We are also, tonight, saying goodbye to Jim Templeton.  Jim has been a Trustee since 2015 and has been Treasurer and subsequently our reporter to the Charity Regulator.  We appreciate all the work he has done on our behalf and wish him a restful retirement.

We welcome two new trustees:  Jane Bentley and Dr Sarah Hall, each of whom has excellent skills to offer the Board and we are delighted that they have chosen to join us.

Closing Remarks:

In conclusion, there have been some really good developments this year, with the continuation of our well-established projects and some innovation as well!  As we look forward to 2025, and our tenth anniversary, we are aware that there is still much to do, especially in trying to mitigate cost-of-living increases for many Cromarty households, and in addressing social isolation, particularly among the elderly.  However, we are optimistic that Cromarty Care Project is making a noticeable contribution to the quality of life of many Cromarty residents.  We could not achieve anything without the continued commitment of all our Trustees, the support of our volunteers, Friends and donors, and the faith placed in us by our generous funders.