Great Aycliffe Community Aid Partnership
MondayOctober 2ND2017
DISC, Sapphire House, IES Centre, Horndale Ave,
Aycliffe Business Park. DL5 6DS
VF: Val Fawcett, AARMS, AF: Alison Firby, Trussel Trust Foodbank/Places of Welcome JM: Joan Mitchie, Sec GACAP, RM: Ron Mitchie, Chairman GACAP, AW: Allison White, GACS, SP: Sharon Parkinson, GACS, PD: Peter Driver, Harvest Christian Centre,TD: Terri Driver, Harvest Christian Centre, SS: Sheena Stephenson, LCA, Baby Basic & Detox, KP: Kath Pinner, Places of Welcome/Food Bank CP: Chris Palmer, Psychologist etc., BW: Brian Wilson, SSAFA, LW: Liz Wilson, SSAFA, SP: Stacy Porter Staff & Volunteer Engagement Durham Uni, HM: Helen Maynard, Tesco Manager, AE: Aaron Elliott, Tesco, LB: Lesley Bailey, Hub of Wishes, DB: Dorothy Bowman, WACC. JM: Jane Merritt, CDTVRM,JC: Janice Coombes, Xcel Church, SD: Simon Day, CD&TVRM, DM: Dawn McCreanor, More Time UK Ltd, LS: Lindsey Smith, DISC, DT: David Tinmouth, DCC, Principle Economic Development Officer.
Minutes
1Welcome and Apologies
RM the chairman of GACAP welcomed an increasing number of partners attending the GACAP Meeting. He offered congratulations to AW Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group for receiving her latest reward. Allison said she was surprised to receive the award as she knew nothing about it.
2 Conflict of Interest
The chairman brought up the issue of conflict of interest in that it had come up at a recent meeting and he thought he would clarify the point for partners. If any partner feels thy have a conflict of interest in any item on the agenda they should make it know before the meeting or as soon as possible once the meeting had started. LM said she would circulate a copy of the statement at some point. ACTION POINT 1. JM TO CIRCULATE CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
3 All partners Introductions
RM asked partners to introduce themselves and if this was their first visit to say so and say a little about their organisation.SD Simon Day said he represented Co Durham & Tees Valley Rescue Mission, said they were the action part of Hope for Justice and worked to release people, some locally from human trafficking. He would be happy to speak to partners at some time.
4 Adoption of Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting were adopted as a true record, proposed by SS and Seconded by VF.
5 Matters arising from the Minutes
JM asked how many members were part of the credit union or would like to join.
JM suggested GACAP consider opening a credit union prior to the GACAP meeting for partners wishing to set up an account in NE First Credit Union. JM to investigate the possibilities. Subject of course to DISC approval.ACTION POINT 2. JM TO CONTACT NE FIRST CREDIT UNION TO DISCUSS GACAP SETTING UP A PAYING IN POINT
6AOBfor item 12
SS, PD and BW registered an item for AOB item 12.
7 Management Report
JM picked out a few of the points some that needed partners’ approval.
The Website was according to Steven Mitton of County Durham Furniture Help Scheme who had been helping GACAP move a step forward. Members of the management committee had been for a training sessions at CDFHS and new email addresses had been established for the officers. These would come into full use by the end of the month. This had been a real breakthrough and was welcomed by everyone. JM said she would be contacting partners to collect information from partners for the website. She asked partners to assist her in responding in a timely manner.ACTION POINT 3/4. JM TO CIRCULATE FORMS ELECTRONICALLY IN RESPECT OF INFORMATION FOR WEBSITE. THE REMAINDER OF EMAIL ADDRESS TRANSFER OF EMAIL ADDRESSES TO BE COMPLETED.
GACAP were looking to widen the range of people/organisations who wanted to link with them. The Management Committee asked partners for their agreement to extent the circle of GACAP to include people who wanted to be “Friends of GACAP” or organisations who wanted to be “Associate Members” This was all agreed by the partners.ACTION POINT 5 RM TO DRAW UP SIMPLY INFORMATION GATHERING FORMS FOR FRIENDS OF/ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF GACAP.
The Management Committee asked for approval that Peter Driver Harvest Church Partner and a member of the Management Committee be accept to the appointment of Assistant Secretary, replacing RM who held this position prior to the AGM. This too was agreed by all partners.The secretary pointed out that as Peter had moved from elected partner to officer there would be a vacancy on the management committee, she asked partners to consider if they wanted to become a member of the management committee. If so contact her before the next meeting. She confirmed she already had one nomination.
8Report from Foodbank
The project Alison spoke on was not only near to the heart of people at the Food Bank and at Places of Welcome which meets at St Claire’s Church Wednesday but to each one of the partners with a heart for the hurting. She spoke passionately about a project under the heading of “Holiday Hunger”. We are all aware of the Hunger in School
Holidays Periods when universal free school meals and means tested FSMs are not available to families with low income. What was needed to make the project work was
1, Provide venue,
2, Provide activities,
3, Provide food,
4, Provide volunteers,
5, Anything else ????
Alison said they were definitely starting the scheme T October half term – even if we start small- say one day but the ultimate aim – Healthy menu, Healthy eating 3 times a week Free of charge.
The chairman said he and the secretary had visited the Place of Welcome and the Foodbank and was pleased to see a number of GACAP partners helping or a part of the event. A new organisation had been invited to come along to the next meeting and the chairman was pleased to see the
9Emergency Parcels by Syd Howarth
The chairman said SH had asked for the above to be entered on the Agenda, in his absence the item would be deferred to the November meeting.
10Presentation on Website by Steve Mitton
The chairman this item would be deferred to the November meeting when more progress would be available.
11. Presentation by Stacy Porter – Durham Advice
The Staff Volunteering (SV) team provides an opportunity for Durham University staff to engage with a range of local community organisations that benefit from working in partnership with the University.
Durham University operates an employer supported volunteering scheme, enabling University staff members to volunteer for up to 5 days per year during work-time. Opportunities range from individual placements utilising an individual's professional experience, to departmental team challenges involving practical tasks.
As a Community Partner, the SV team can provide community groups, organisations and charities and with teams of staff volunteers or individuals to help you out on a short-term and occasionally longer-term basis.
I’d love to hear from any community organisation that may require assistance. Assistance comes in many different forms, so please don’t be shy… shy bairns get nout! The worst I will say is ‘sorry we cannot help’ Please feel free to ask me any questions
Contact details on email: Tele:01913342176
12.AOB as per item 6
Any Other Business, Brian Wilson from SSAFA thanked SS from Baby Basics for the the wonderful help she had given a very needy client from SSAFA, showing GACAP working together.
SS confirmed that Baby Blessings had now altered to Childrens’ Blessing as there were needy children in Newton Aycliffe as well as babies. She said that there was now a bin in TESCO for items they require, i.e. nappies and hygiene items. She said there was a list on the bin as to what was required. She confirmed when asked if the wrap round on the bin was from the money that she received from GACAP Discretionary Fund. JM explained funding had gone to GACS, a contact of VF and a flask for A Place of Welcome.
JM encouraged partners to claim for small amounts of funding, there wasn’t a bottomless pit but there was money available.
VF said this was a typical example of what GACAP was designed for, partners working together for other.
PD asked if there was any means by which an automated portal could be put in place for people to ring for advice or assistance it was suggested. It was suggested that this might be too costly to install but HM from TESCO said if it could be sorted then she was sure they could host it.BW offered the thought that advertising screens as seen in some doctor’s surgeries might be an idea worth investigating. DT suggested under Healthy and Wealthy Services doctors will give people numbers for assistance. It was suggested this be investigated. ACTION POINT6 PORTAL AND DOCTORS SCREENS INFORMATION TO BE INVESTIGATED.
13. Close of meeting
The chairman thanked all for attending and said the Speaker for next month was Rachael O’Donnell from ADVICE, along with an in house speaker.DB asked if ADVICE was the same as LOCATE. DT said they were different. RM asked partners who didn’t attend the month’s meeting tomake sure they get along to the next meeting because “if you don’t come you are missing out”, the secretary’s report and minutes do not pick up on the atmosphere of the meeting or to enjoy the networking at the beginning and end of the meeting are more than interesting.
Confirm date/time of the next meeting as
November 6THat 4pmJoan
Mitchie Secretary
New email addresses are working now but the old email addresses should disappear by the next meeting. and