Dornoch Firth Group appoints two new workers
THE Dornoch Firth Group is set to expand its services following the recruitment of two new members of staff.
More volunteers are also sought to work with the charity, which comes under the umbrella of local churches and aims to support and develop activities which bring people together.
Up until now the group has employed one full-time community outreach worker John McMurray.
He has now been joined by assistant community outreach worker Rona Gordon from Rogart, and falls prevention worker Margaret Robertson of Rearquhar, Dornoch.
Both women took up their part-time posts, which are for a year-long fixed term, at the start of the month. The group has no office premises and all three workers are home based.
The Dornoch Firth Group was formed in 2007 by the churches in the six East Sutherland parishes of Edderton, Kincardine, Croick, Rosehall, Creich and Dornoch.
Mr McMurray explained: "The churches felt a calling to be more involved in their community and to serve the people of these six parishes."
The group has since established a network of services and activities for all generations, including a youth cafe, a men’s fellowship and a programme of children’s activities..
It costs upwards of £40,000 a year to keep the group going and Mr McMurray revealed that it exists on a "cocktail of funding" from various bodies such as the Gannochy Trust, the Joeseph Rank Trust, various windfarm community benefit funds and the Church of Scotland’s Go For it Funding.
Funding for the falls prevention officer post has been sourced from Highland Council’s Change Fund while the cost of the assistant outreach worker post has been met by the group’s own funds.
Rona Gordon brings a wealth of experience to her new outreach role as she has been heavily involved in coaching young swimmers and previously ran a riding for the disabled.
She will be taking charge of the Dornoch Cosy Youth Café, the Intergenerational Work with Dornoch Academy, the ESCAPE group for young people with learning difficulties and the group’s summer activity programme in Bonar Bridge.
Margaret Robertson, a nurse with 10 years’ experience, will focus on supporting people who have fallen or are concerned about falling in the future.
The group already has a 111-strong team of volunteers who cover 170 roles in the East Sutherland community. But more volunteers are still needed..
Mr McMurray said: "It’s anticipated that our work will grow as Rona and Margaret progress in their roles. This will mean that we will require yet more volunteers.
"If you have a heart for supporting people in need of assistance and want to give something back to the community, then we will find a role for you."
Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to contact Mr McMurray by phone: 07801496609 or email: emailing dfghighlandcow@yahoo.co.uk
Mr McMurray can also be contacted through the project’s new website which is in the process of being constructed www.dornochfirthgroup.com
