One of the benefits of working for the Eric Liddell

Centre is that you get to meet some great people.

In general, the Third Sector in Scotland is full of

good people. There still remains, however, a small-

charity mentality in some areas where people

seem to be either empire building (never let that

be said about me!), in that they refuse to share

information with others, or empire protecting, in

that they won’t allow for partnership work and

collaboration.

The key to the future success for smaller

charities like the ELC, is to be forming strategic

partnerships, collaborations and alliances. This

isn’t about diluting what we do, or devolving

control to anybody else, but about genuine work

for the Community, skills-sharing, idea-sharing,

and project-building. It’s about working for

others, not trying to justify keeping the charity

going just for the sake of it.

To that end we are delighted to have a very close

relationship with Edinburgh Napier University.

They recently helped us with the silver service at

the Burns’ supper as well as contributing ideas

around the internal design of the Centre. Now

a group of students are working with the Senior

Team to advise on marketing and PR. I should

also mention that we have a Head of Department

from ENU, Christine Pollock, as a Board member!

Haydn, Laura and Alexandra, visited on 21st

March, to discuss ways in which we can market

the Centre more effectively. They are looking at

everything from logo and corporate identity, to

PR and press releases, to activities within the

Centre. Its great to have a fresh set of (young)

eyes looking at the issues we face as we develop

the Centre and the projects and services we

offer. It’s a pleasure to work with such articulate,

polite and talented individuals, and as I have

said before, they are a credit to their University.

This is what’s great about working for the Eric

Liddell Centre.

From the CEO

NEWSLETTER April ‘16

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lynda Hay - Helping Hand Assistant

The 31st March

2016 marked

Lynda Hay’s first

anniversary as a

volunteer at the

Eric Liddell Centre

(ELC).

Prior to joining ELC Lynda worked for 25 years at

the Bank of Scotland where she held a variety of

roles within the Information Technology Group. Lynda is our ‘Helping Hand Assistant’. In this role she handles the recruitment of volunteers for all of the services that the Centre offers, including Cafe Connect, Carer Befriending, specialist Day Care and a variety of other smaller but equally important roles such as the charity shops, gardening and help with administration. She is actively seeking volunteers for our new Befriending Service for carers of people living with dementia and the soon to be launched Podiatry Service (still accepting suggestions for a catchier name!). Lynda is also one of our Carer Befrienders and meets with her befriendee carer every week. It is Lynda’s job to ensure that volunteer positions are advertised, to handle volunteer enquiries, send out application forms, request and assess volunteer references and take part in volunteer interviews.

Over the past year Lynda has taken enquiries from and handled applications for over 100 prospective volunteers, from all age groups with

Volunteer Profile

varied backgrounds and abilities. Of these, around 30 have successfully taken up volunteering roles within the Centre.

In her spare time Lynda likes to walk and swim and is a keen fundraiser. This year she will be taking part in the ‘Chariots of Fire’ (5k) in St. Andrews and the Great Scottish Run (half Marathon) in Glasgow to help raiseimportant extra funds for Centre.

If you are interested in volunteering with us you can contact Lynda by emailing her at the above email address hh@ericliddell.org or leaving a ‘message for Lynda Hay’ at Reception.

In April Lynda will join the Centre’s fundraising team as Fundraising Officer.

Former Carers Group

Former Carers Support Group

•The following outings have been pencilled in21st April – Botanic Gardens. Part of the British Art Show is on display in Inverleith House. •More suggestions:Falkirk Wheel / Stirling / Rosslyn ChapelCallendar House and Park, Falkirk.Visit Art Galleries – NGS/RSA/GMA/NPGFire Museum at Lauriston Place.Glasgow Transport museumRiddles CourtCorstorphine Dower HouseCockenzie House & GardensSaughton Winter Garden/Rose Garden•More ideas would be most welcome.•Why not volunteer to lead an outing?

Organisational Changes

Thea Nilson is a student from Edinburgh University Business School, who will be working with us from May until August. She will be in and out of the building and will be looking to talk to staff, the Board, and volunteers. Her thesis will be around the area of the use of volunteers in the 3rd sector, legislation, attitudes about and from volunteers, best practice and retention. I’m sure you will all welcome her when she arrives and support her in her work - which should result in some interesting recommendations for us.

Erica BaldiWe are delighted to announce that Erica has been appointed as Deputy Day Care Manager.

Flora MichalopoulouFlora will be moving from the Community Operations Manager post into the new and exciting role of Care Operations Manager, linking all the new projects that will be soon starting at the Centre with our well-established Day Care and Befriending services.

News Meetings

This month’s meetings

Sally SorrieBefriending Development Officer

This month Sally attended a meeting at EVOC with the coordinator of the Befriending Collaborative for Older People.

Sally also attended an Independent review of the Short Breaks Fund commissioned by Shared Care Scotland as well as a meeting facilitated by Gordon Dodds, Planning & Commissioning Officer for Carers, Health & Social Care on ‘Community of Practice to develop innovative and flexible short breaks and respite’.

Fraser Quin, CEO

- Third Sector Strategy Group- Lecture at Christ Church regarding the future of the ELC- Edinburgh Third Sector Care at Home - Collaborative Board meeting City of Edinburgh Council/ EVOC Community action meeting- Napier University marketing meeting- Edinburgh University Business School presentation to local businesses

Meetings

Lee DeaneCoorporate Fundraiser

As a Development Manager, some of the most exciting meetings I attend are to explore possible projects or programmes that we may want to have here at the Centre. Generations Working Together hosted a fantastic workshop on developing intergenerational projects; we are keen to introduce something here at the Centre so watch this space. The British Society of Gerontology held a seminar on Living with Dementia, which was extremely interesting and thought provoking. It certainly reinforced how important our daycare service and befriending programmes are to people living with dementia and their families.

Martha PollardDementia Support & Education Co-ordinator

This month I have been attending networking events to gather and share information and practice in an interdisciplinary way.

Introduction to Mindfulness (EVOC)

RS Macdonald Trust Dementia Networking Meeting

British Society for Gerontology Scotland Networking Seminar

Arts in Healthcare Learn & Share Event ( at the Botanic Cottage which is the house they moved brick

by brick from Leith)

Older People’s Service Provider’s Forum (EVOC)

I will be taking inspiration from these meetings into plans for the ELC’s staff learning and development

programme; the Lunch Breaks programme and the people they care for who are living with dementia;

and our Befriending service for carers of people living with dementia (supported by the Life Changes

Trust). It was fascinating month, full of ideas exchange, learning, practice sharing and collaboration.

ART EXHIBITION AND LIVE MUSICFRIDAY 22 APRIL 2016

6.30PM – 9.00PMERIC LIDDELL CENTRE

15 MORNINGSIDE ROAD, EDINBURGH, EH10 4DP

Professional landscape artist Yulia Allan invites you to enjoy complimentary wine or soft drinks at this Art Show featuring her beautiful original oil paintings. The evening will also feature live classical music from a very accomplished young violinist.

The exhibition is in aid of Queensferry Care, a charity providing quality support for older people and carers within the communities of Edinburgh. A generous proportion of all sales will go to the charity.

You can view pictures of Yulia’s original paintings online at www.scottishartistspaintings.com and see information about Queensferry Care at www.qccc.org.uk.

Fundraising Trustee Profile

Maureen Harrison

Maureen Harrison has over 30 years experience in the Scottish Voluntary sector. She was Scottish Director of Imperial Cancer Research Fund for 13 years, managing all fundraising and marketing activities including the establishment of 60 charity shops from Thurso to Dumfries. She moved to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation in 1997 and served as Chief Executive until her retirement in early 2015. During that time she was Chair of the Institute of Fundraising Scotland for two years and also involved in the development of The new Charity law for Scotland in the early part of the last decade.

“I am very proud to be associated with the Eric Liddell Centre which embodies the very best traditions of the voluntary sector - staff and volunteers working together with the community to ensure that much needed services are provided in an effective and caring way.”

Easter Hampers In total raised £303.00. Thanks to everyone who helped make the hampers, bringing items in and buying tickets. Special thanks to Linda Carr for organising! Congratulations to our very own Murray, Kenny and Fiona who all won hampers! Don’t worry if you weren’t a winner this time round, we’ll be doing them bigger and better at Christmas.