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Rotary Club steps in to save Weymouth's much loved Age Concern centre
MEMBERS of a Weymouth charity are "over the moon" after it was saved at the 11th hour. Just days before Weymouth's much loved Age Concern centre was due to go before bidders at an auction, the town's Rotary Club stepped in to save the day.
It came after the charity's finances had run into so much trouble they had to put the building where they hold lunch clubs and offer advice up for auction just to meet the bills. The club has taken over Pilgrim House and provided a cash injection of £5,000 to help the charity carry on just four years after they handed them the building so they could move from an office in the Colwell Centre.
Rotarians had been monitoring developments since Age Concern started losing money in 2009 and its future at the building in Hope Street off Hope Square was put into doubt. It is understood the charity was running at a loss of up to £10,000 per year and Pilgrim House was put up for sale with no new venue in place to replace it.
But now members are celebrating after its future was secured. Gwen Reynolds, 85, of Great George Street, said: "We are over the moon. It's such a relief to know we are keeping the club as it's such a lovely place. The rotary club is absolutely fantastic and they've got a lot of thought for the elderly We were told that things were pretty drastic especially when they were putting it up for sale."
Age Concern's new chairman of trustees Dennis Corbett, also a Rotary Club of Weymouth member, said the papers have been sent to solicitors to transfer the ownership of Pilgrim House back to the Rotary Club of Weymouth. Mr Corbett said: "The problem they had is that they received limited financial support from the national Age Concern. They were running at a substantial loss so had no choice but to consider selling. So we said we'll put some money from our own resources to one side to refurbish and try and build on what's already been achieved. But it's not that they've not had a successful operation, and we want to extend their services by bringing vetted experts to help give financial advice."
The rotary club will be looking to use the financial advice to help make the centre self-financed and promoting the facilities as for hire could be one option. Under the new arrangements Age Concern will have five trustees with four of them as Rotarians. Mr Corbett said he is pleased former chairman of trustees David Harris has agreed to remain as a trustee with the current members of staff including co-ordinator Nigel Coles also staying. Mr Corbett added: "If it was not for Nigel I don't think that place would be in operation.
Nigel Coles & Dennis Corbett
What the house has to offer
Pilgrim House is open from 9am to 2pm each weekday to provide computer lessons and advice on a range of issues including finance and form filling.
It currently has more than 100 members who have paid their £5 annual fee and enjoy the lunch clubs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the cinema and lunch club on the last Friday of each month.
The majority of members are aged over-70 but it is hoped that new members can be attracted in the age range of 50 and up also.
Nigel Coles, co-ordinator at Pilgrim House, said: "Instead of looking over our shoulder we are now looking forward to building on what we've already done.
"It's nice to know there's a future for our services."
For more information call Pilgrim House on 01305 761828.
Photos of some of our contributors on our re- vamp day 8th October 2011
