Future of Cupar’s Age Concern Centre secure – for now

THE short-term future of Cupar’s Age Concern centre has been secured, thanks to a grant of up to £10,000 from Fife Council. There had been fears that the cash-strapped centre could be forced to close within two months.

However, council officials could not confirm that the organisation would continue to receive additional funding when the emergency money runs out.

Canon Pat McInally, chairman of Age Concern Cupar, said news of the grant came as a “relief” to staff and visitors.

“Our treasurer told me recently that we only had enough money to cover staff salaries for another two months,” he said.

“This will keep us going through October and November, after which the council will address our long-term situation.”

Rona Laing, senior manager for Fife Council’s older people’s services, said the social work service was “committed to supporting vulnerable people who need the service provided by Age Concern Cupar”.

She said: “The social work service is currently undertaking a review of all day care services in Fife, and day care providers — including Age Concern Cupar — are fully involved in this review.

“We will recommend to the appropriate council committee that in addition to the recurring grant a non-recurring payment be made to Age Concern Cupar to ensure that the service can continue to operate in the short term.”

However, Ms Laing added that the financial breathing space would give Age Concern members time to “consider the viability of the organisation”.

Age Concern Cupar currently employs four members of staff — at a cost of around £3500 a month — who provide lunch and activities for 150 regulars, many of whom would otherwise find it difficult to socialise.

The operation also includes two minibuses, which transport residents of outlying villages to and from the centre in Provost Wynd.

Other than the recurring council grant, the project receives funding from the Robertson Trust, while a three-year lottery award has now come to an end.

Canon McInally said losing the centre would be a huge blow to the community, adding that regular users would be “devastated” if it was forced to close.

He said: “I’ve been lobbying the council to take this project seriously for long enough.

“I sent out a questionnaire recently and every one came back with the same response — ‘You can’t close the centre’.

“It’s too important to Cupar — not just for the clients but also their carers, for whom it provides welcome respite.

“The council would have to spend a huge sum of money to make up the shortfall in services that these people require.”