Tough times at PEP

Chairperson Irene Garden said she wanted to be positive when she welcomed guests to  Pilton Equalities Project’s (PEP’s) annual general meeting on Friday, and she started out that way. However her report quickly turned to PEP’s trials and tribulations – it’s been a particularly tough year, and the signs are that it’s not going to get any easier any time soon.

“Once again our staff and volunteers have worked above and beyond the call of duty to ensure we continue to deliver our services”, she told the meeting at PEP’s West Pilton Park office. “To quote George Johanson, one of our directors: ‘another difficult year in tempestuous seas!'”

PEP is fundamentally different organisation from the Pilton Elderly Project from whence it emerged. Community transport for older people was the primary focus of the old PEP, but as funding priorities changed over the years so has PEP – the community organisation has diversified and added learning and training elements to the daycare and community transport services it was best known for.

Manager Helen Tait highlighted successes over the last year, and PEP’s statistics certainly remain impressive: PEP has provided 2585 learning opportunities over the last year,  has 59 volunteers who have given 7518 hours to the service and the PEP minibus fleet has provided 33.931 passenger journeys this year.

But despite those figures, PEP faces a constant fight to keep all those services going, chairperson Irene Garden told the meeting.

“It’s been a very difficult year with funding cuts and uncertainties. Staff have been really flexible but so much of their time is now spent chasing funds that it’s getting really difficult for them to do their ‘real’ jobs. With respect to our transport services, we receive funding for our drivers but no money to maintain our vehicles – that’s proving to be a real problem and we don’t want to let any of our service users down,so we really need our funders to support us now. We are under real pressure – no service has had to be disbanded as yet,but this is all dependent on sufficient funds coming in. If the last twelve months have been a challenge the next twelve could be even tougher.”

Despite that fairly gloomy outlook PEP still has a full Board of Directors for the year ahead, with only one vacant position.

With the annual general meeting finishing earlier than expected, some procedural business was discussed. The meeting heard that a compliance sub-group is currently reviewing PEP’s constitution and Articles of Association to clear up some inconsistencies over membership issues. That sub-committee will report recommendations to PEP’s new board in the near future.

Dads Rock at The Prentice Centre

Children and Families Minister Aileen Campbell MSP officially opened the new Dads Rock group at The Prentice Centre yesterday (Saturday 27 October). Around twenty men and their kids attended the first local session of the playgroup that was set up specifically for dads and male carers. 

The Clydesdale MSP was joined by her partner Graham and their wee boy Angus at The Prentice Centre and the family had a great time! Ms Campbell said:”We received a really warm welcome and enjoyed our visit. Dads Rock is a great idea and I really do hope it goes from strength to strength, not only in Edinburgh but across the country”.

Dads Rock founders Thomas and David said: “We were really delighted to see so many new faces at our first session at The Prentice Centre and we’re very grateful to Aileen for showing her support by performing the launch. We’re hoping that the word will spread now that we’re open in Granton and we’re looking forward to meeting more and more local dads as the weeks go on”.

Prentice Centre management committee members and staff were on hand to welcome the new visitors to their building on the corner of Granton Mains Avenue and West Granton Road. Janet Campbell, manager at The Prentice Centre, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dads Rock to the Centre and it was good to see so many people here for the first session. The kids seemed to have a great time and we are sure it will be a success”.

The Dads Rock playgroup meets at The Prentice Centre on Saturday mornings from 10 – 11.30am with play, music time, art stuff, snack and story time – and it’s all free. For more information check out the Dads Rock Facebook page or see their blog at http://dadsrock.blogspot.co.uk/