Category: Testimonial

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

I am 74 and realised that my health and mobility would eventually require a move from the country to a village, where there is a support network. The sheltered housing communities in Aberdeenshire supply that, in spades. Although a shadow of their former selves (when they had full time wardens and Sheltered Housing Officers were much more involved with the people they supported than paperwork and admin), they are still a critical part of the infrastructure of each village.

That critical part of village life is still very much needed, and I was planning to become part of it, in the area I have lived in for the past 25 years. Concurrent with the news about Aberdeenshire Council possibly closing the sheltered housing unit I was looking at, I was actually offered a property which I turned down – for
2 reasons – the uncertainty (if I moved in would I have to move out again in 2 months) and also the continued closure of Cuminestown Health Centre, which I had wrongly understood to have re-opened after Covid.

I would be happy to pay more rent for the security and support that sheltered housing supplies. But to close a sheltered housing unit (any of them) is a move that will split communities and cause untold mental suffering to people who are forced to move in their later years.

My mither Sheila Robertson has lived in flat [x] in the Cumrye for over 10 years. Her flat looks directly onto the football pitch which entertains her most of the summer night. She has a great group of carers who make her day. I myself live 2 min from her building with is so handy. My son Lachlin loves to pop to her window just to say hello. My Mum has a great group of friends around her. Shes 90 years old. Cumrye just suits her fine.

Sunday: Walk

Monday: Craft 2pm in the lounge

Tuesday: Evergreen club in the forenoon. Garden in the afternoon

Wednesday: Walk at Fyvie lake forenoon. Exercise in the lounge

Thursday: craft 2pm in the lounge

Friday: Games in the lounge

Saturday: walk

I want to stay in Cuminestown.

I go to the crochet class on Tuesday evening and the Rural every third Thursday. The croquet will soon be starting. When my son and daughter in law take my grandchildren down to the swing park, I can walk round to see them then they walk round to the flat for a drink and Biscuit.

I can walk around to the graveyard with flowers for my late husbands grave and my mum and granny’s grave.

When I go shopping the A to B Bus is round in the square 10am Monday and Wednesday back 12 noon.

Other days you can get the bus by Phoning the night before to book it.

Another bus goes to Inverurie on Thursday’s. We sometimes have the school kids down to play games in the Lounge, then we get invited up to the school to play games and get a cup of tea. Fiona Bruce comes and gives us a meal Burns night, Easter and Christmas. We have a chippy supper in the Lounge once a month where everyone is together.

Evergreen Friendship club was formed eighteen years ago when Dory Lane, another council facility for the elderly, was closed. We rely on residents of Cumrye for members as it is held in the Community Hall near to Cumrye the tenants are willing to join in the activities we provide and are a lovely bunch of people

We, as a club, feel strongly about the proposed closure of Cumrye and these lovely people will be uprooted just when they thought they had found a safe haven.

Doreen Sharp on behalf of the Evergreen Friendship Club

As President of the S.W.I of Monquhitter, we the members are aghast at the thought of loosing Cumrye in our village.

We are delighted to count residents as members. Members in their late eighties – how could the council even consider moving them? We are angry, but also very sad, that the council have so little compassion to even contemplate such a thing.

Doreen Sharp on behalf of Monquhitter SWI

I moved to Cuminestown 9 years ago when I retired as I wanted to be near my family. The pace of life in a quiet village appealed to me and Cumrye provided the security I was looking for.  It’s not just a ‘scheme’ – it’s a community where we all look out for each other and help each other when needed.  I soon settled in, made friends and started to enjoy the friendship and activities on offer.

Then life changed for everyone with Covid and never returned to how it was before.  Our vacancies were rarely advertised and our flats stayed empty.  Cumrye was under threat of closure around 2 years ago but we avoided the axe then because our building didn’t need a lot of money to be spent on it.  Sadly now we come into the ‘low demand’ group and are threatened again.  It feels as if our settled way of life has gone forever.  Even if Aberdeenshire Council can be persuaded to change their plans I don’t think residents in Sheltered Housing will ever feel safe again.

I have the following questions

1. Why did Aberdeenshire Council meet with tenants to warn them of ‘possible’ closures more than 2 months before this proposal was going before a Council Meeting?  Did they not stop to consider the distress this would cause the elderly in their Schemes? When we asked for a time scale we were told more information would be available after the meeting some time in June but it could take years to finalise everything.  We were informed they had created a new post and introduced us to the lady who will visit us to discuss our needs and find us suitable accommodation. Unfortunately this made ‘possible closures’ feel a lot more like ‘definite closures’.  Too many ifs, buts and maybes.  Do they actually have a plan?

• If we all want to stay in Cuminestown where would we live? There was a lot of talk about Mainstream Housing, Housing Associations and Private Landlords.  Most of the suitable properties in Cuminestown have been given to ‘Other Service Users’.  Do Housing Tenancies expect us to move elsewhere?  We are all in Cuminestown for a reason and most don’t want to leave the village.

• When we asked what would happen to Cumrye if we had to move out we were told it might be repurposed but if it wasn’t suitable it would be demolished.  What would it become if repurposed? Would that be in the best interests of the Village?  When will we be given that information?

• We asked at our meeting why – despite numerous requests – our empty flats were rarely advertised.  They have now printed posters advertising 6 flats to be displayed on noticeboards and local businesses.  Too little too late?

Morag Gavin 

(Secretary, Cumrye Tenants Association)