A day centre is facing increased financial pressure this autumn as its social service funding is reduced. The Clyst Centre which is based in Broadclyst and provides day care three days a week, is run by Clyst Caring Friends, who have always augmented the money received from social services with their own fundraising.
But from October they are faced with having to raise even more themselves. Co-ordinator Carole Traer said 'Our day care cost is about £30,000 a year. Social services cuts for the rest of this year, just for day care, is £6,000 - goodness knows what it will be next year. The other services we provide, we fund ouselves. People think we are funded by the GPs because we are attached to the surgery, but we are not - we pay them rent for the day centre building.
Apart from the day centre the Friends transport patients to doctor's appointments and provide a weekly bathing facility and a monthly lunch club.
Ms Traer said: 'We provide two days of normal day care and a specialist day on Wednesday for a much smaller group. We also run a small group on Wednesday in Pinhoe for people who do not fit into the day care environment. All these days rely heavily on volunteers. We are always in need of volunteers and funds'.
Dora Fowler's 90-year-old mother Lillian Ware attends the centre three times a week, and it is a welcome break for both of them.
Mrs Fowler said: 'My mother has Lewy Body Dementia, which disturbs her sleep. She is very active all the time and the centre is a break for both of us. The people at the centre are so devoted and nothing is too much trouble for them. All the staff are wonderful and spoil all of the people who go to the centre.'
Staff recently organised a 90th birthday party for Mrs Ware.
Initially, Clyst Caring Friends operated from Pinhoe Surgery, organising and providing transport for patients in rural areas to attend doctors' appointments in Pinhoe. The first day care was set up in Victory Hall, Broadclyst. However, with the new surgery building in Broadclyst the doctors had room to include plans for a pupose build day centre, and this was opened in 2005.