Whatever happened to community?

We used to live in Farncombe, sandwiched between Guildford and Godalming in the beautiful Surrey Hills. Farncombe is euphemistically described as a 'village' but it is actually a commuter hub, serving those who zip up and down the Portsmouth Harbour to London Waterloo South West Trains line. Some stop at Guildford, some at Haslemere, most go all the way. Almost all the commuters leave Farncombe for the day, returning after dark. They don't shop, bank or use the Post Office in Farncombe. The Indian restaurant and take-aways are popular. They certainly don't consider themselves to be part of the community of Farncombe. 

Last week, I did a quick shop in the Co-Op in Farncombe. It is a lovely shop, recently refurbished, with a good selection of fresh fruit and veggies, as well as quality meat and bakery products. The staff are friendly and familiar, even though we moved away eight years ago. I also popped into the Post Office, dropped off repairs for Mr B at the tailor, got the Boxers' chewy worming tablets at the vet, picked up a prescription at the pharmacy. Then because it was a lovely day, I browsed in the Debra shop.

My Dad still lives in Farncombe, and on that sunny Wednesday, it seemed as though only people over 70 live there. It was very quiet. There was no hustle and bustle. The streets are lined with parked cars, which I presume belong to commuters. There are boarded up shops - some have been unoccupied for at least 10 years. Farncombe seems to have been forgotten by development and investment. I admire those businesses which remain - I wish I could support them all, but I fear it will take more than my support alone to keep them all solvent.

Three months ago, I wrote to the Godalming and Farncombe Neighbourhood Planning (GOFARNP) forum. My ideas were mainly focused on the role of the Farncombe Day Centre in the community, but there is no doubt that more work needs to be done to bring together businesses and residents, visitors, church-goers and commuters, to better understand their needs, how they can help each other and support the future of the Farncombe community.

Councillor Steve Cosser, you have been very supportive of initiatives in Farncombe and of the Farncombe Day Centre. The Staycation Family Fete in August was fantastic. Please help to stop the rot in Farncombe. Please help to bring back independent businesses in Farncombe. Please help to foster community spirit in Farncombe, for future generations.

I have written about Farncombe, because I care about it, but I'm sure that Farncombe is not alone in being neglected. Bring back community.

Kicking and screaming - Farncombe Day Centre

About a year ago, I suggested an online giving page for the day centre. Three months passed before I was given the go-ahead to set it up. On the 1st of October, I emailed the log-in and set-up details for the BT MyDonate page to the Chairperson and Manager of the day centre. On 29th November, they still had not processed the documents. By mid-December, the lack-lustre management team and I had parted company. 

I offered to maintain the Twitter account and other social media networking. My offer was declined. I expected them to request access to the online giving page and to change the password. They did not. This has still not been done. 

As I believe that the day centre makes a valuable contribution to the community, I am still committed to supporting it, and in April, I was able to set up a fundraising event for a sponsored walk in aid of Farncombe Day Centre. Donations and Gift Aid were received by the day centre, in response to an appeal. To my knowledge, no report on these funds has been requested by the management team.

Today, I have removed my intellectual property, including photographs and text, from the page and I am publicly telling the Farncombe Day Centre management to prioritise this, as well as changing the contact details, and updating the charity profile. Updating the website would help too.

I believe that this shows yet again that the management team are not fit for purpose, lacking in critical IT skills, and ill-equipped to deal with the changing world of social media fundraising.

Pull your socks up, Farncombe Day Centre, or you will be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

If you can help the day centre with volunteering, fundraising or IT skills please do contact the centre manager.

My case study on the long term sustainability of the Farncombe Day Centre is available by email. 

My previous posts on Farncombe Day Centre:

Godalming and Farncombe Neighbourhood Planning (GOFARNP)

Fundraising at Farncombe Day Centre
Standing up for Farncombe Day Centre
Saving Farncombe Day Centre
What's the buzz?High praise indeed
A jewel in the crown of the community

Disclaimer: The author was a member of the Farncombe Day Centre Executive Committee from February to December 2013, and was asked to step down following a disagreement with the Chairperson of the Committee, relating to the budget shortfalls and identifying such publicly.

Godalming and Farncombe Neighbourhood Planning (GOFARNP)

I have made a written submission to the GOFARNP Community and Infrastructure Group. This group will establish a base-line of the infrastructure in Farncombe and Godalming (including education, health, telecomms, sports facilities, children's play areas, youth facilities, community facilities, green space, culture), paying attention to areas where infrastructure is presently deficient, before moving on to what the community needs by way of new and enhanced infrastructure, and how those needs are impacted by any planned growth of the town. There is more on the process on the Godalming Town Council's website http://www.godalming-tc.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan.htm.

This is my submission.

Farncombe has a wonderful resource in the day centre in St John’s Street, more than just its provision of a hot meal for older people in Farncombe and Godalming. I would like to see better use made of this publicly funded community space.

When I first became aware of the operational budget shortfalls at the day centre, I suggested more engagement with the local community, to create a sense of pride and ownership. My hope is that showing more people in Farncombe and Godalming what the day centre can provide, for everyone, will generate more regular users of the centre, more volunteers and more donations. I also suggested joining Twitter, Facebook and setting up a new website - all of which would make the day centre more 'visible', but also more competitive. In order to achieve these ideals, community managers would need to up-skill in IT, web management, database management and social media networking, to maximise income potential, be more efficient in day-to-day operations management and increase the appeal of the community spaces to new users, and engage in community partnerships. 

The centre should be a social enterprise. A hub. A community space. A partnership. A place where diverse groups of users are welcomed, contributing to the revenue, generating more users and volunteers; a thriving place. And all this ensuring that the centre will continue to provide high quality engagements with local older people who enjoy a hot meal, companionship and activities on weekdays.

I see opportunities for a food bank, an after school club, or other much-needed community facilities. Perhaps the centre could open on a Saturday morning as a place to get a cooked breakfast or homemade soup lunch; one day a week for families in the community to meet and be supported. Evenings and weekends could also offer opportunities for small business or social enterprise organisations, groups or societies to meet. By offering this meeting space, the day centre would be increasing its network of partners, who in turn will be generating their own revenue streams, some of which will flow back to the day centre, creating a mutually beneficial, sustainable operating environment.

What do you think? Could it work? Would people come to use the facility?

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My case study on the long term sustainability of the Farncombe Day Centre is available by email. 

My previous posts on Farncombe Day Centre:

Fundraising at Farncombe Day Centre

Standing up for Farncombe Day Centre

Saving Farncombe Day Centre
What's the buzz?
High praise indeed
A jewel in the crown of the community

Disclaimer: The author was a member of the Farncombe Day Centre Executive Committee from February to December 2013, and was asked to step down following a disagreement with the Chairperson of the Committee, relating to the budget shortfalls and identifying such publicly.

Don't miss The Godalming Bazaar, this Saturday 7th June.

Fundraising at Farncombe Day Centre

I'm pleased to see that the Farncombe Day Centre fundraising page has been updated to point to the MyDonate online giving page, which I set up for the charity. Unfortunately, IT skills including social media networking and web marketing are sadly lacking in the day centre management team since I left*, and the day centre website is clumsy and not very helpful. Moreover, it completely misses the point of online giving, that donors can quickly and easily tick a box for the charity to claim Gift Aid.

When I joined the committee, I was surprised to learn that although the day centre is a registered charity and is registered for Gift Aid, it is never claimed on donations, unless the donor specifically requests to do so. So, donors like me, who understand these things, do make sure that our donations go further. Many people do not. This source of funding is 'money for jam'.

I understand that small charities find this paperwork onerous and time-consuming but in an ever-decreasing pot of money, it is essential. I therefore undertook to explore online giving to maximise donations and Gift Aid.

I recommended the BT MyDonate website for online giving because it makes no charge to charities to join. It also charges no more than 25pence for each debit or credit card donation. The charity donation page was easy to set up and can be updated to highlight specific fundraising challenges and events. 

I hope that you will take a look at the Farncombe Day Centre and consider a donation to this valuable community resource, which really needs your support. In addition, the management team is in urgent need of IT skills, particularly with regard to a dynamic web presence. Please do get in touch if you can help.

*Note to the management team at Farncombe Day Centre, and those who sponsor the day centre, award grants, volunteer and support it in many different ways. It should be made an urgent and immediate priority to up-skill in IT, web management, database management and social media to maximise income potential, be more efficient in day-to-day operations management and increase the appeal of the day centre to new users and attract local community partners. 

My case study on the long term sustainability of the Farncombe Day Centre is available by email. 

My previous posts on Farncombe Day Centre:

Standing up for Farncombe Day Centre

Saving Farncombe Day Centre
What's the buzz?
High praise indeed
A jewel in the crown of the community

Disclaimer: The author was a member of the Farncombe Day Centre Executive Committee from February to December 2013, and was asked to step down following a disagreement with the Chairperson of the Committee, relating to the budget shortfalls and identifying such publicly.

Standing up for Farncombe Day Centre

When you care about something, it's hard to let go. I just cannot let go of the Farncombe Day Centre, because I fear for its long-term future.

When I first became aware of the budget shortfalls I was quite shocked that measures had not already been put in place. My first suggestion was to start engaging more with the local community, to create a sense of pride and ownership. My hope was that by showing more people in Farncombe and Godalming what the day centre can provide for older people, it would generate more regular users of the centre, more volunteers and more donations. I also suggested joining Twitter, Facebook and setting up a new website - all of which would make the day centre more 'visible', but also more competitive. We all know that every pound donated to charity is someone's hard-earned cash, and the day centre had to show that it had earned your support and generosity.

Grants from the Council and Age UK had been slashed. New, harsh rental and facilities agreements have been implemented, ensuring that the day centre will pay its way to the council and council tax payers. The end result is a gloomy shortfall in operating budget. The day centre management team for all its other faults, have at least been prudent with savings. Excellent fundraising by the Friends of Farncombe Day Centre and some generous legacies have swelled the savings accounts. But no amount of shuffling funds around can disguise the fact that every time an older person attends the centre, it costs £16.

Think about it. £16 a day to provide a warm, safe environment for an older person. It hardly seems a lot. But that amount is set to rise, with the implementation of the new, tough financial regime imposed by Waverley Borough Council.

Now, I'm not suggesting that the day centre should be entirely funded by grants from public funds. In fact, I'm suggesting that the Farncombe Day Centre should be a social enterprise. A hub. A community space. A partnership. A place where diverse groups of users are welcomed to the centre, contributing to the revenue, generating more users and volunteers, a thriving place. And all this making sure that Farncombe Day Centre will continue to provide high quality engagements with older people who enjoy a hot meal, companionship and activities.

The ideal situation would be for the day centre management team to cover the operational costs (including staffing) through a sound, revenue-generating business plan. Grants should be applied for, to provide diverse programmes of activities. I also see opportunities for a food bank, an after school club, or other much-needed community facilities. Evening and weekends could also offer opportunities for small business or social enterprise organisations, groups or societies to meet. By offering this meeting space, the day centre would be increasing its network of partners, who in turn will be generating their own revenue streams, some of which will flow back to the day centre, creating a mutually beneficial, sustainable operating environment.

My case study on the long term sustainability of the Farncombe Day Centre is available by email. 

My previous posts on Farncombe Day Centre:

Saving Farncombe Day Centre
What's the buzz?
High praise indeed
A jewel in the crown of the community

Disclaimer: The author was a member of the Farncombe Day Centre Executive Committee from February to December 2013, and was asked to step down following a disagreement with the Chairperson of the Committee, relating to the budget shortfalls and identifying such publicly.

Saving Farncombe Day Centre

A little over a year ago, I was asked to join the Executive Committee of a small local charity which provides a hot meal and companionship to older people in our community. I was delighted at the opportunity to contribute more than just financially, and I agreed to give my time.

From the first meeting, I knew that the Committee and I would be at odds with one another. They were afraid of change, under-skilled for the job and had yet to acknowledge the large shortfall in funding.

I like a challenge and jumped right in. This was my first mistake. My second mistake was to challenge the Chairwoman. My third mistake was to talk openly about my concerns for the day centre. Three strikes, and I was out.

That was in December. Since then I have thought about how best to highlight my concerns, without damaging the good work that the staff and volunteers do. I'm not sure what my next step will be, but this is a start.

My previous posts on Farncombe Day Centre:
What's the buzz?
High praise indeed
A jewel in the crown of the community

I have written an alternative proposal for the continued success and growth of the day centre, which I would be happy to share with anyone who is similarly concerned. Email me.

Thank you.

What's the buzz?

Some of you will know that I support a local day centre in Farncombe. The day centre, like many others in England, is facing challenges about its future. I'm not allowed to say any more than that at the moment.

It has struck me as somewhat odd that a publicly funded organisation is not more integrated into the local community. Over the years, it has been allowed to become isolated, relying heavily on volunteers and rather inward looking. And that is as much as I'm allowed to say on that - for the time being at least.

I have been talking to local people and thinking about ways of bringing the day centre into the heart of the community of Farncombe. It shouldn't be seen just as a place for older people to get a hot meal in a safe and warm environment, although that is a very important aspect of the work of the day centre.

I believe that it could be so much more than that.

I believe that partnerships can be formed with local businesses and community leaders, the pub, the golf course, the leisure centre. All of these people and places will have met someone in their day-to-business and personal lives who could benefit from the services provided at the day centre, yet few if any, will ever refer an older person to the day centre. 

The trouble is that there is a fine balance to being able to provide a quality service, on a shoestring budget, and therefore more efficient ways of working must be found, more grants must be applied for, more fundraising must take place, more volunteers are needed and more people from all walks of life in the Farncombe community must use the centre, and must value its continued existence.

Notwithstanding all of the above, and the drive to bring new activities, groups and societies to the day centre, one other way for the day centre to be seen as a key location in Farncombe could be as a foodbank. I know there is a need for this in Farncombe and Godalming, and I have been keen to work on a local food bank for some time. Winter is coming and the need will soon be even greater. Perhaps some of the local churches would like to partner such a venture. One suggestion might be that the day centre could open on a Saturday morning as a food bank and a place to get a cooked breakfast or home-made soup lunch; one day a week for needy families in the community to meet and be supported.

What do you think? Could it work? Would we get enough support? Would people come to use the facility?

I'd love your feedback on this and other ways that the day centre could get the buzz going in Farncombe.

Please see our website for more information on the services provided by Farncombe Day Centre.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are entirely my own personal views, and are in no way the views of the Farncombe Day Centre management team and committee.

High praise indeed

I have just come from the Annual General Meeting of the Farncombe Day Centre. So much praise for staff and volunteers. And big news too. Leonard's garden at the Centre has won the Shield for the Best Managed Community Garden - for the second year in a row. And Wendy's scarecrow was Highly Commended. High praise indeed.

It was also announced that Farncombe Day Centre has become a Local Charity Partner with Sainsbury's Godalming. Wow. We are so pleased.

Our Chair, Alison, stressed the uncertainties which face all charities, and in particular, adult care services. The Centre has already seen real cuts in grant funding, so we rely on volunteers and donations, and lots of fundraising.

The importance of the Day Centre was highlighted by both the Mayor of Godalming Cllr Tom Martin and the Mayor of Waverley Cllr Patricia Ellis. Lonely older people tend not to cook for themselves or eat nutritious meals. Come to the Day Centre. Enjoy a lunch time meal amongst friends. Join in the activities. Don't be lonely.

An interesting question will be any future role of the Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in adult care and day centres. 

The meeting was closed with thanks to all the users of the Day Centre. We couldn't do it without you.

❖

Visitors welcome. New users welcome. Volunteers much appreciated. Donations always gratefully accepted.  Registered Charity No. 801089

Farncombe Day Centre is on Twitter @FarncombeDayCen. Please follow us to keep up to date with our events and activities.

Farncombe Day Centre has a photo gallery on Flickr.

Keep the date ☀Saturday 18 May☀

Hooray! It's Spring Fair day!

Saturday 18 May 10am to 12noon

At the Farncombe Day Centre

Please do come along and 

support this wonderful community centre in the heart of Farncombe.

Follow @FarncombeDayCen for news and updates.

A jewel in the crown of the community

Farncombe Day Centre has been at the heart of the community in Farncombe for 25 years. Today, the centre celebrated its 25th anniversary, and the opening of the newly refurbished lounge. 

It was a jolly event, marked by Songs of Praise, followed by ribbon-cutting and tea and cake, and attended by the Mayors of Waverley and Godalming, as well as councillors, staff, volunteers, friends, family and many day centre users. 

These are a few photos of the afternoon, described by the Mayor of Waverley Cllr Tony Gordon-Smith, as the 'jewel in the crown of Farncombe'.

Iced cake for the occasion

Mayor of Godalming Cllr Liz Wheatley at Songs of Praise in the lounge

Mayor of Waverley Cllr Tony Gordon-Smith
praising the centre and its staff and volunteers 

Mayor of Godalming Cllr Liz Wheatley with centre manager Judith Corbett
thanks the centre for the work it does in the community

Surrey County Councillor Steve Cosser,
who was thanked for making funds available for the lounge refurbishment

Enjoying tea and cake

Lovingly tended gardens at the day centre

A pleasant spot at the window in the lounge
The refurbishment project was funded by a Co-operatice Community Fund grant,
Cllr Steve Cosser, Friends of Farncombe Day Centre through their numerous fund-raising activities, and a legacy

Photography by Lesley Beeton