Chairman’s Report
November 2024
Duddon Community Support has continued through its fourth year to provide its core services; the delivery of weekly Meals on Wheels to a group of 20+ older adults in the area, and the regular checking and maintenance of Defibrillators across the area. There have been no large changes in the organization in the last 12 months. We have maintained the same Trustees group and have similar stability across the group of volunteers. We remain indebted to Coordination Group Publications for regular grants through the Duddon Community Trust which enable us to continue.
Numbers on our Meals on Wheels delivery list have decreased slightly since my last report. A number of our clients have sadly passed away, and new deliveries continue to spring up. The Square café is still our base for the preparation of meals and thanks are due to the Parsons family for that. We have a faithful group of volunteers who assist with the cooking, but a rather perennial difficulty to attract people willing to take on a ‘lead cook’ role, which does place stress on the few who are willing. The second course relies on around 12 volunteer bakers who are used on a rota basis, and deliveries are made by car outside the village currently to a dozen people, by three volunteer drivers. Within Broughton there are two walking delivery rounds. Stand-by reserves are necessary some weeks.
One of our Defibrillators was used by First Responders this year, sadly to no avail. Thanks to a donation a new Defibrillator has been supplied and fitted. All defibs are publicized on the national database and 999 callers are advised on the nearest and the code for the box. We have delivered a further training session this year thanks to local First Responders. We now have four people on a rota to manually check defibs each month.
There is clearly still some appetite locally to produce an Emergency Plan although progress is slow.
It continues to be clear that there is a need in our community for DCS to provide its services for the foreseeable future.
Thanks are due to our Trustees and our Volunteers for their assistance during the year.
Selwyn Wright Chair
Duddon Community Support
Income & Expenditure Account
12 Months ended 31.12.24
INCOME
Meals paid for £3564 Grant Application, April 2024 : Duddon Parish Trust £2000 TOTAL INCOME £5564
EXPENDITURE
Service Charge paid to Square Café £2300 Catering Ingredients £2812.75 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £5112.75 Excess income over expenditure for 2024 £451.25 Balance At Bank 31.12.23 £1793 31.12.24 £2244.25
In the course of 2024 DCS Meals on Wheels served 1188 meals at an average cost of £4.30 per meal.
The other activities of DCS are the provision, maintenance and training in the use of Defibrillators; together with working with partners towards the provision of an Emergency Plan for the area. They are conducted by volunteers and there is no cost to DCS.
Our Treasurer, Clive Moody, passed away earlier this year. I have been Acting Treasurer for the last 3 months. We are searching for a suitably qualified Treasurer to take over.
Selwyn Wright Ll.B