{"id":308,"date":"2015-05-27T09:49:45","date_gmt":"2015-05-27T08:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.iriss.org.uk\/pitlochry\/?p=308"},"modified":"2019-05-13T14:19:45","modified_gmt":"2019-05-13T13:19:45","slug":"may-2015-update-how-are-the-projects-going","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.iriss.org.uk\/pitlochry\/2015\/05\/27\/may-2015-update-how-are-the-projects-going\/","title":{"rendered":"May 2015 update: How are the projects going?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Last week Fiona and I met with the people who had received funding from the Creative Care and Support: Pitlochry fund to learn how they had spent their funding, how they were progressing in the set up of groups and organisations, and what their plans for the near future is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conversation was full of energy and ideas, many times highlighting opportunities for overlap or collaboration between the funding recipients, which were met with delight. Each funding recipient gave a detailed overview of their progress (listed below) and a conversation about the focus, value and benefits of volunteering evolved from this. It was clear that the volunteering spirit we first met in Pitlochry in autumn of 2013 has strengthened, and that people are working closely together across interests and service provision areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gillian has managed to spend almost all of the funding she received. Still pending is the completing of her befriending service’s website, which is being designed by a young local web developer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gillian is now befriending a resident in a Pitlochry care home, with whom she also spends time within the home and meet other potential clients. This paid work has enabled her to do more volunteering within the community, particularly around keeping people well and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has been difficult to advertise the befriending service. Although many people need, and would benefit from befriending, many do not know that there is a cost related. Furthermore, Gillian has received conflicting advice about whether befriending overlaps with PA services, and whether or how she is allowed to advertise her services. A further conversation with Perth and Kinross Council will be scheduled to clarify this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the community work side of things, Gillian is identifying informal befrienders with a view to create a network so that referral to befrienders can happen more easily within the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leila’s herbalist service has been growing steadily. As well as the groups she runs at the Atholl Centre she is not also spending a day a week running a clinic in Perth, as well as working with private clients in the Pitlochry area. She has been collaborating with a basket weaver in running classes for people who want to learn to both make creams and weave baskets. They also sell these as gift baskets now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n