Harlawhill Day Care Centre
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Mission Statement
We combat isolation and keep older neighbours living independently, safely and confidently in their own homes for as long as possible. Founded in 1992, Harlawhill Day Care Centre is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC020282) rooted in the heart of Prestonpans, East Lothian. Open 50 weeks a year, we welcome up to 16 local older adults each weekday to our warm, homelike space in the town’s former Co-op store. Our specially adapted minibus collects every member from their door and returns them safely home, removing the “can’t get out” barrier that often leads to loneliness and early loss of independence. Inside the Centre we serve fresh, nourishing meals and deliver evidence-based activities—reminiscence music, gentle exercise, creative arts, a wide variety of games and activities as well as special day trips—carefully tailored for people living with dementia and those with limited mobility. Our skilled staff build trusted relationships that let us spot early signs of illness or cognitive decline, alert families and GPs, and prevent unnecessary hospital stays. Beyond our doors, we provide a signposting and advocacy service, linking members to NHS clinics, benefits advice, energy-cost support and other local charities. This joined-up approach lightens the load on relatives and keeps households stronger for longer. Independent feedback shows our model cuts emergency hospital admissions by up to 50 % and halves family-carer stress, while 94 % of members feel “less lonely and more confident” after three months (internal survey, 2024). Vision – A Prestonpans community where growing older never means surrendering independence or social connection. Values: Dignity • Compassion • Local solidarity • Prevention first How your support helps • Door-to-door transport keeps community connections alive for those who would otherwise be house-bound. • Specialist, relationship-centred dementia care from the team crowned Top Team at the Scottish Health Awards 2021. • Early-warning monitoring and referral that head off health crises before they escalate. • Signposting to financial and wellbeing services that unlock vital help at the right moment. • Respite for family carers so they can rest, work and thrive. Together we can turn every weekday into a good day for older Prestonpans residents—proving that community care, early intervention and neighbourly solidarity keep independence alive.
About This Cause
WHO WE ARE Harlawhill Day Care Centre is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC020282) that has served older people in Prestonpans and the wider East Lothian community since 1992. Housed in the town’s former Co-operative building—a place long at the heart of local life—we provide a warm, homelike hub where frail, vulnerable and socially-isolated residents can reconnect with friends, maintain their independence and rediscover joy in everyday living. THE NEED Prestonpans includes neighbourhoods ranked in Scotland’s most-deprived 10 % (SIMD 2020). At the same time, the ward’s 65+ population is forecast to rise almost 25 % by 2028. Nationally, 940,000 older people in the UK report feeling “often lonely”—a figure set to climb unless communities step in. (ageuk.org.uk) Loneliness is more than a feeling: it is linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, depression and dementia. For family care-givers, the strain can be equally severe. OUR MISSION To combat isolation and enable older neighbours to live life on their own terms through relationship-centred day support, practical assistance and community collaboration. WHAT WE DO—A DOOR-TO-DOOR MODEL OF CARE • Accessible transport – Our adapted 17-seat minibus with tail-lift collects each member from their doorstep and returns them home safely. • Nutritious meals – Hot breakfast options, two-course lunch (dietary and allergen intolerances catered for) and afternoon tea on site. • Stimulating activities – Reminiscence projects, music therapy, gentle exercise, arts & crafts, digital-skills coaching and day trips, all tailored to varying mobility and cognitive needs. • Specialist dementia support – A bespoke reminiscence room with mid-century décor and calming lighting, designed by our in-house Dementia Ambassador, helps reduce agitation and spark positive memories. • Health & wellbeing checks – Staff monitor mood, nutrition, mobility and medication prompts, flagging concerns to families, GPs and social work partners. • Family respite – Regular attendance gives unpaid carers essential time to rest, work or manage other responsibilities. IMPACT & EVIDENCE • Early intervention – Practitioner feedback indicates our programme cuts unplanned hospital admissions and carer stress by up to 40 %. • Enhanced wellbeing – In our 2024 service-user survey, 94 % reported “less loneliness and more confidence” after three months; measurable gains were also seen in mobility, appetite and mood. • Cost savings – Keeping older adults healthier at home eases pressure on the local authority budget for care packages and residential placements. • National recognition – Winner, “Top Team” at the Scottish Health Awards 2021—beating major health organisations across the country. (harlawhilldcc.co.uk) • Voice of members – “It’s a lifeline. I’ve made new friends and have a lot of laughs.” (Care Inspectorate feedback, 2019 inspection: Quality of care rated Very Good.) GOVERNANCE & PEOPLE A volunteer Board of Trustees oversees strategy, compliance and finance; day-to-day operations are led by our Manager of 32 years and a dedicated team of SVQ-qualified carers, drivers and volunteers. We are regulated by the Care Inspectorate (Service No. CS2015335451) and follow Scotland’s Health & Social Care Standards of dignity, compassion, inclusion and responsive support. Continuous training, annual external audits and robust policies—from safeguarding to GDPR—underpin every aspect of our work. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS • East Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership – Following a long-standing Service Level Agreement for complex-needs day services we are now officially contracted to supply Day Care Services for the elderly. • Local NHS practice, social workers & dementia team – Referral pathway and joint care planning. • Association of East Lothian Day Centres – Peer learning and shared best practice. • Schools & heritage groups – Inter-generational projects that bring young people and older residents together. • Third-sector networks (Age Scotland, SCVO, About Dementia) – Advocacy and knowledge exchange. VALUES Dignity • Compassion • Local solidarity • Evidence-led innovation. We see the person, not the illness, fostering independence and choice at every turn. FUTURE PLANS (2025 – 2028) 1. Fleet Renewal – Accessible Minibus Replacement (2026) Secure an additional £65,000 to purchase a low-floor, tail-lift minibus, cutting annual repair costs by 40 % and guaranteeing ten further years of safe, door-to-door transport for every member. 2. Outdoor Wellbeing Space (2026) Securing a green space to convert into an accessible sensory garden and sheltered patio, giving members year-round opportunities for therapeutic gardening, fresh-air exercise and family visits. 3. Income Diversification & Social-Enterprise Pilot (2026 – 27) While maintaining our six-month reserve policy, launch new unrestricted-income streams—corporate sponsorship programmes and paid dementia-friendly training for local employers. 4. Volunteer & Trustee Renewal Programme (2025 – 28) Recruit new centre volunteers and at least 3 trustees aged 30-60 with finance, digital or HR expertise. A structured induction and CPD package will future-proof governance and succession. 5. Front-Line Capacity – Additional SVQ-Qualified Carer (2027) Raise £25,000 p.a. to add a third carer per session, improving the staff-to-member ratio from 1:6 to 1:5 and enhancing personalised, dementia-sensitive support. WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS How can your company power the next chapter • £65 k = A brand-new accessible minibus putting 25 older neighbours back on the road to independence every weekday. • £25 k = An extra SVQ-qualified carer so every member gets more one-to-one dementia-sensitive support. • £5 k = One year of online health-and-care training that keeps our whole team—and local volunteers—fully compliant. • Skills to spare? HR, digital, finance or L&D professionals can volunteer 12–24 hours and generate £1,400+ in avoided consultancy costs. Every gift, whether payroll pennies or a flagship grant, turns ordinary weekdays into lifelines—and shows East Lothian that business still has a heart. RETURN ON INVESTMENT For every £1 invested, local authorities avoid multiple pounds in downstream costs—through delayed residential care and reduced hospital stays—while businesses gain engaged employees who see their company making a tangible difference in the lives of neighbours’ parents and grandparents. CALL TO ACTION Join us in proving that community care beats loneliness, hands down. Whether you donate, volunteer or amplify our story on internal channels, you will be turning ordinary weekdays into extraordinary lifelines for East Lothian’s older residents. Contact Harlawhill Day Care Centre, Co-op Buildings, East Loan, Prestonpans EH32 9ED Tel 01875 814 989 | www.harlawhilldcc.co.uk | hhdcc2007@gmail.com Thank you for helping us keep the heart of our community beating brightly for every generation.