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personal independence payments, employment support allowances, job seekers allowance, housing benefits from South Hams etc. Nick Hindmarsh comments that, “this type of support is unusual but is crucial in towns such as Dartmouth where there is no longer the statutory infrastructure to provide these advisory services.” Other than full time staff, the
charity depends entirely on the support of its volunteers. Currently, there are 152 ranging from those that support fund raising initiatives, help in the Memory Café or with lunch clubs or are volunteer drivers. “We have 38 drivers registered but need more. An extra 10 would be great,“ says Nick. “We are always having to work around the availability of our drivers as there are often pinch points because of holidays and family commitments so a few more drivers would be an enormous help. They need to be based in/around Dartmouth & Kingswear, have a clean driving licence and be happy to give up a spare morning or afternoon to accompany a client to hospital for an out-patients’ appointment. If they could do this once a month, that would be helpful – once a week, would be fantastic!” The pressure to deliver to those most in need is increasing as the
demand for these services continues to rise and Dartmouth Caring is constantly seeking additional ways in which to meet these commitments. Financial support is, therefore, critical. The current running costs of the charity are approximately £170,000 - £180,000 a year, up over 30% in the last two years as the range of services and responsibilities has grown and the need for paid staff to support this. Securing the funding is time
consuming and the inflow of financial support can be very unpredictable. Less than 10% of income comes from contracts with the NHS and Social Services whilst the balance is acquired
The charity depends
entirely on the support of its volunteers
through fund raising and through bids and grants. The latter takes a lot of Nick’s time. Fund raising events are important but most raise significantly less than £1,000, the biggest event being the Annual Fashion Show (raising approx £1,500). Most of the balance comes from benefactors’ donations such as from the Hadley Trust and Dartmouth
United Charities. Legacies can make a big difference, as a £30,000 legacy did last year. Nick: “We sincerely hope that some of our supporters will consider this as a future means to provide assistance.” Legacy giving also has the added benefit of being a tax efficient tool if organised in the correct way. However, the necessary preparation of wills and codicils can be complex and expensive and does require the involvement of experts in this field. “We have therefore been very fortunate to secure the support of Startpoint Law in Kingsbridge (tel: 01548 288008 ) for those wishing to put in place an effective plan for the future for their family, relatives and any causes which they may hold dear. The firm is offering some free basic advice and preferential rates to anyone who is a client or supporter of Dartmouth Caring.” The charity recently announced
that it has signed up for a new fund- raising initiative, which will allow those who shop online to donate to the charity by a few clicks of the computer keyboard and no extra cost. The name ‘Dartmouth Caring’ has been added to the website
www.easyfundraising.org.uk as a good cause. This is a well-established website, with no hidden extras and there is absolutely no cost to the customer. Over 3,000 well-known retailers are affiliated to the website and contribute a % of the funds that you spend with them to your choice of ‘good cause’. A link has been added to DC’s website too, to make the process as simple as possible. See -
www.dartmouthcaring.co.uk/ support- us/financially/ It’s arguable that Dartmouth
Nick Hindmarsh
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