History

Alison hears Professor Kellehear talk in Scotland about ‘compassionate communities’ sparking the idea of Compassionate Inverclyde (CI)

First schools project encouraging children to think about caring

Ardgowan Hospice Conference: Creating Compassionate Communities for Decades

Funding provided by Ardgowan Hospice for a fixed term secondment

Alison established as CI lead in January

Engagement with local groups through Your Voice from January

Setting up the Compassionate Inverclyde Board in May

Florence Nightingale scholarship for Alison to visit and learn from other projects

Absent friends festival November

Compassionate Citizenship agreed initial focus on setting up NODA (No One Dies Alone)

Design and launch of logo based on community engagement in November

NODA working group starts January; first companion provides support in December

High Five wellbeing programme starts in West College in January

Official launch of CI in March 2017, 1 full time Programme Lead, Funded by Ardgowan Hospice/ HSCP

160 Volunteers, No budget.

AIM
“To create Scotland’s first Compassionate Community. A community where everyone recognises that we all have a role to play in supporting each other in times of crisis, end of life and loss.
The ethos is very person centred, focusing on what matters to local people, and strength based, recognising and nurturing the strengths and assets of individuals, families and neighbourhoods.

Work with schools on wellbeing starts in April

Plan to establish bereavement cafes in each community centre starts in May

Plan to engage with churches for end of life groups/Back Home Boxes (BHB) starts in May

Compassionate Organisations starts in August 2017

Promoting Compassionate Citizenship focus on setting up BHB in March

BHB distribution starts in Novembe

Second wave of work with schools starts in March – focus on High Five

Work in Greenock prison starts in August

First NODA companion in care home

Back Home Visiting (BHV) starting in December

Celebration event and launch of evaluation report Dec 6

Community Christmas dinner working in partnership with Festive friends including Amazon, Morton in the community, Inverkip hub, Riverclyde Homes

Covid / lockdown focus changed to assisting the local community as no longer able to do NODA, Back Home Visiting, singing group, friendship hub etc

Working in partnership with local organisations

Delivering prescriptions

Emergency food parcels

Ensuring patients in IRH had nightwear and toiletries when families couldn’t visit

Supported Homeless forum with food and provisions

Delivered newspapers to IRH patients

Queens award for voluntary service – accolade for support during COVID

Jolly box started

Back to normal, volunteers returned to all programmes including BHB, BHV, NODA etc.

Start of New Mum companions

Transition to SCIO/ Board setup

Big lottery funding for 2yrs

Recruitment of new staff member

Official launch

Strategy day for Board

Fundraising