What is happening at the Howard Doris Centre?

 We are entering a new Era!       Enjoy “TLC “ in the heart of South West Ross.

 The board of the Howard Doris Centre charity wishes to announce that on the 1st of February next year NHS Highland will take over the Care of tenants and patients within the Howard Doris Centre. This change is necessary to maintain the very valuable service that has been run by our community charity since 1996.

Some of the original board members (who are now aged between sixty eight and ninety) have served the Centre for over 27 years. On 20th September they were joined by eleven volunteers from our working group. The new board members have widely diverging skills. They will be an asset and rejuvenate the Board which will continue to support the health and well-being of our community.

We are working closely with NHS Highland and Highland Council to deliver a smooth transition of care to the tenants of the Albyn Housing Association

The NHS will be taking over the vitally important part of the service at the Centre which encompasses care of vulnerable, elderly and end-of-life patients. Over the years our staff have gone above and beyond to provide this. The NHS will continue to employ them as before.  

We acknowledge that there are anxieties about the future and we have heard people expressing their concerns.

  The essential facts are:

 •          From February next year the charity will no longer be funded as it has been.

 •          We have been promised financial support from the NHS but this will not meet our overall costs.

 •          Our charity will continue to employ a small number of staff to run catering and to develop new services.

  “The Lochcarron Centre” —A new name and new things happening!

 To mark the change we have renamed the Charity. In future we will be called “The Lochcarron Centre” - enjoy TLC in the heart of SW Ross. As before we will support the three communities of Applecross,  Lochcarron and Torridon. The Howard Doris Centre is where we are based and will remain the name of the building.

 Over time the needs of communities change. We have listened to you and as a result we are in the process of developing new services..

 Although there may not be many obvious changes at the moment, 22 volunteers are striving behind the scenes ,working with common purpose, developing new services and ensuring that the Lochcarron Centre continues the caring traditions and ethos of the Howard Doris Centre.

 Over the coming weeks we will be working together to build plans to enable us to adapt to our new role and continue to be a much appreciated centre for community activities and welfare.

 This will be a developing programme. It will not be static. It will require assistance, innovation and drive from the whole community. We will do our very best to keep you informed as we make progress and will soon be able to explain the changes that this will entail.

Do this for yourself, your elders and for the young people in our communities.

The first few months next year will be important for us. As we contact potential funders for support we will need to show them evidence that people value and are using the Centre. Please come and take part in the new activities which will be springing up over the next few months.

One continuing task will be fundraising.  Looking to the future with a much slimmer organisation we will need support from local and national charities . We also need to look to our own community for support and innovative sources for funding . 

The costs for some services will increase. We will have to start charging for things that previously were taken for granted. This will be done as necessary, not for profit, but to make sure that the organisation will remain a going concern.

 It you value what the Howard Doris Centre has done in the past and want to see it continue in its new form don’t read this and cast it aside for others to act. If you can help financially, by volunteering or to help manage developments please do so now.

 Please see the “Howard Doris Centre Chat” article to see how to volunteer and make donations.

Dr David Murray M.B.E Chair.

The Lochcarron Centre is a Community Led Company with Charitable Status. (Charity No. SC021024, Company No. SC142359)