This report addresses the needs of the community in relationship to concerns of loneliness, poverty and injustice in Argyll and Bute. 

Food Banks:

• BUTE OASIS FOOD & CHARITY SHOP
• HOPE KITCHENS – OBAN
• COWAL AND DUNOON FOOD BANK
• KINTYRE CAMPELTOWN
• TRUSSELL TRUST
• LOCHGILPHEAD HIGH SCHOOL
• LOCHGILPHEAD CHURCH

MOVING ON MID ARGYLL – MOMA

• Providing starter pack to homeless people who are moving into permanent accommodation for the first time i.e. all household goods, etc., referrals from housing services or CARRGOMM. Food parcels referrals come from social services. 

CAB

• Offers referral giving access to food banks. No names mentioned and bags of essential foodstuffs delivered to CAB office for client to pick up.

CAB – Argyll & Bute Citizens Advice Bureau:

Oban Road, Lochgilphead.  www.argyllandbutecab.org.uk

Free impartial, confidential advice on a range of issues:

• Debt advice and management
• Financial advice and borrowing 
• Housing
• Employment
• Consumer and utilities issues
• Health and community care
• Family relationships
• Bereavement
• Armed Forces
• Tax
• Mortgage
• Pensions and insurance

CAB functions as a front office that helps people by  ‘removing the red tape’ and alleviating confusion of which service and resources are available to people in need and requiring assistance. 

Helensburgh to Dunoon, Campbeltown to Oban and the Islands.

Local volunteers uniquely placed to respond to local needs and reflect local priorities. Outreach centres in other areas, Campbeltown, and Oban Job Centre. Government funded money advice service – budgeting, debts, etc., and offering to travel to Islands if required.

In addition, the service deals with patients’ advisory service and complaints relating to the NHS. Signposting service for Housing issues for example: ACHA, Fyne Homes, Argyll Homes (formerly council-run).

Argyll & Bute CAB –  ‘ABCAB’:

Kilmory Estate, Lochgilphead.  www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/advice-services

Not to be confused with the previous entry for CAB, this ABCAB is directly funded and operated by the Council and delivers the following services:

• Debt counselling and welfare rights across the area
• Focus on resources for vulnerable people and in need of urgent advice.

ABCAB will work closely with the Council sand support the work of the many other advice centres which operate throughout Argyll and Bute. Again, this is a free, confidential and impartial service to support people across this area. 

Mid Argyll MS Centre:

Campbell Street, Lochgilphead.  www.msargyll.com  01546 – 606303

Provides a positive, supportive environment for those affected by multiple sclerosis and many other long term conditions and injuries.  

Wide range of activities through the week: therapies, exercise classes, self-management, workshops, singing and various activity groups, helps combat loneliness and improves quality of life and wellbeing. 

Outreach Worker Claire Cameron offers home visits for anyone with any long term conditions:

• Coffee and chat 
• Loneliness
• PIP forms
• Blue badge application
• Giving people back confidence and self-esteem
• Getting through the ‘red tape’
• Holds regular group meetings on Islay and Jura Islands:
  • Lunches and workshops 
  • McTaggart Leisure Centre 
  • Gaelic College
  • 1-to-1 home visits 
  • Carries out ‘informative days’ with GPs
  • Access to therapies to carry out home visits

Claire Cameron carries out awareness events across mid Argyll, Kintyre, Islay and Jura.

Dochas Centre:

50 Campbell Street, Lochgilphead.  www.dochasfund.org.uk  01546 -600022 

The Dochas centre is based in a central position in Lochgilphead, it houses an art gallery and a carers’ room which can be used for people to meet and chat. It is a centre for individuals and various groups for example, Dementia support, Parkinson support, GBS and Motor Neurone disease. Mental health support, addictions, life following bereavement. 

The Dochas Centre – delivering opportunities, care, hope and support. 

Carers don’t look after themselves and all too often, their health suffers as a result of their challenging caring roles due to the emotional and mental stress. They can discuss their fears and anxieties, share their problems and find support. 

 Outreach worker base on the Island of Islay, offers carer support:

• Lunch groups
• Befriending groups

Carers meet together and talk over their problems and solutions. The service responds to the needs of clients and offers a comprehensive range of help.  The service is flexible to their needs as well as offering an opportunity for people to discuss the strains on relationships and the responsibilities of the caring role.  The carers are dealing with the complex needs and conditions of the long term and terminally ill.  

The Dochas Centre is essentially the ‘voice of the carers’. This service is used by the local High School offering counselling services to the under 16s. 

Lomond and Argyll Advocacy Service:

Various offices situated in Argyll and Bute. www.laas.org.uk   

Mid Argyll: 01546 – 606056

Cowal & Bute: 01369 – 840250

Oban & Lorn: 01546-606056

Kintyre: 01586-553428

LAAS is an independent, free and confidential advocacy organisation operating in West of Scotland.

• Independent – separate from Social Services and all other organisations
• Free
• Confidential

In the course of putting together this report, I had the great privilege in meeting face-to-face with many of the people running these organisations. I was impressed with their professionalism and the quality of their services and their caring nature. 

People within these organisations and services have the right knowledge and the right skills to help people in need. They offer signposting and advocacy services directly. Each organisation is therefore, uniquely positioned to deal directly with individuals and to provide the right information.   Importantly, these services are able to operate self-sufficiently so that clients are not generally moved on to other services.  This means that any signposting is carried out within one organisation.  All organisations are linked up together and have up-to-date knowledge regarding available resources. 

Norma Kelly

9th July 2019, Tayvallich