Association Of East Lothian Day Centres (AELDC)

The Association of East Lothian Day Centres (AELDC) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation established in April 2012. It consists currently of nine Day Centres for Older People in Dunbar, East Linton, Gullane, Haddington, North Berwick, Ormiston, Port Seton, Prestonpans, and Tranent.

Partnerships and Community Support

The organisation has a strong relationship with the East Lothian Council, the Health and Social Care Partnership, and the Integrated Joint Board. They have identified funding that will allow the creation of a new Day Centre within Musselburgh, supporting its surrounding communities.

We continue to value all the support provided by the local residents and organisations in each locality through their financial contributions and practical support and by volunteering within the Day Centre, undertaking a range of helpful tasks.

Services During COVID-19 and Beyond

Through COVID-19 and beyond, Day Centres have provided outreach services to those who have chosen to attend the Day Centres or live at home without using this service.

We are able to offer a range of supports through the use of our Day Centres staff, or specifically recruited staff. This allows carers to have respite where they can devote time to their own particular needs, family demands, maintain their hobbies, and attend GP or hospital appointments.

They can choose our sitter service or negotiate other vital opportunities that allow our older people to retain contact with the outer world. The support to carers is crucial and ensures that our older people can retain contact with their wider communities for as long as possible.

Financial Support and Tender Process

It has continued to be important that the H&SCP has financially supported this component of service separately from the annual Day Centres budget. For the first time, East Lothian Council decided that all older people’s Day Centres budgets would have to go out to tender and so we were required, over the past few months, to prepare and submit our commissioning presentations via their procurement portal. For many of the Day Centre staff and trustees, this was a very new experience.

Although it was considered to be a soft tender, it was challenging for everyone. The process has now been completed and all Day Centres have successfully received a positive decision from the Procurement Service with a six-year contract.

Re-establishing and Development

The Association is currently attempting to re-establish itself on a number of fronts. We need to recreate our Development Days when all Day Centres trustees and managers are able to get together and look at the big issues that present themselves, such as the National Care Service plans, and attempt to have a stronger voice in presenting our views.

Training and Support

We continue to support our staff, volunteers, and trustees with our LearnPro training package and face-to-face training and have contracted human resources support. The H&SCP has supported us financially on an annual basis to ensure that these resources continue to be available.

Responsibilities and Engagement

Being a trustee within a charity carries a large responsibility as they take on the role of an employer. Operating a small business brings many complexities and challenges.

We seek to engage more within the wider charitable sector and participate in meetings and conferences to ensure we keep in touch with current issues, but more so to be able to have cross-table discussions about all the key local and governmental planning.

Commitment to Excellence

As can be seen, we have much to do and people to see. We have a strong group of trustees across East Lothian and have a determination that our people will have the best services made available to them so that our older people and their carers and families have a life together that is both fulfilling and satisfying.