ANNAN Day Centre celebrated 15 years of community care this week.
Since 2005, they have provided support, meals, transport and a wide range of activities for over 60s in the area – extended to younger age groups throughout the pandemic.
Staff and volunteers were joined by local councillor Ian Carruthers on Monday to mark the occasion.
While members were not able to physically meet up at Market Hall in Annan where the day centre is based, they were visited at home and given treats and copies of their latest newsletter.
Manager Emma Irvine, who joined Annan Day Centre 11 years ago, reflected on some new services introduced throughout her time: “When I first started in 2009, it was three days, 32 members. We’re now over four days and 200 members. We started doing holidays, additional services like water aerobics and swimming and tai chi,” she said.
Speaking about their plans to mark 15 years, she added: “We’re sending all the treats out to the members with a newsletter about what’s happening and what’s still coming up because obviously the day service aspect is shut but we’re still working on a community base project so that means were out delivering meals, doing shopping, supporting people and we’ve got befriending too.”
With many members vulnerable, in isolation and shielding from the pandemic, safely continuing the running of services has not been without challenge. During 2020, staff have had to constantly adapt their operation as restrictions have changed.
Emma said: “In the middle of the lockdown we were supporting people from 30 right up to 99; there was one week that over six days we supported nearly 300 people.
“Since the 23rd of March to today there has been significant changes daily and weekly to what people need and want and it’s just about getting the services out there to make sure we’re able to deliver them.
“We try to be as community orientated as we can be, until lockdown, then we started providing the services that were needed to the community.”
