TRFS Bids for Fun in the East Region
The Richmond Fellowship Scotland East Region held its first Participatory Event on 21st March 2014 at Vine Church, Dunfermline, and it was a great success!
After several months of planning with a team of supported individuals, carers and staff, those who attended the event were greeted with stalls of information about each bid, lunch and a chance to meet up with others. Over 100 people attended from all over East Region including Fife, Edinburgh, Stirling and the Borders.
The bids were varied from trips to places, allotments and garden projects and setting up new craft and sport activities. 18 bids in total set up their own advertising stall to promote their bid and put on high quality 3 to 4 minute presentations each using a variety of methods including speech, music, plays, poems and props.
Voting took place after each group had presented their bid on stage and by the end the competition was friendly but competitive. During the break, while votes were counted, entertainment was provided by Kirk James with an array of musical styles along with refreshments. Ceilidh dancing spontaneously took place and it was great to see everyone having a wonderful time.
Votes were counted then it was time for Jock Welsh, East Regional Director, to present the winning cheques to the successful groups. Luckily the money given by TRFS for the event meant that every bid won, meaning no one went empty handed at the end of the day – no disappointed faces.
After speaking to lots of people attending the event it was clear the afternoon had been a success and a familiar question of “When is the next one?” was already being asked.
Many thanks to those who took the time to plan, organise and hold the event.
About Participatory Funding
The Richmond Fellowship Scotland has pioneered Participatory Funding as a way of handing over funding to vulnerable people to help them shape, design and control projects that achieve what they want. It gives over control and responsibility. Our only requirement is that the money is spent on getting some fun. This is an outcome that is important and one that makes a difference at a human level.
This is a great opportunity for the People We Support to develop, shape and direct on outcomes for themselves. Hopefully it will also give our staff some rewards as well, helping them do what they do best; making a difference in people’s lives and realising potential. I want this investment to also help and support people with complex needs and perhaps people with less overt communication skills to ensure this opportunity is available to all.
Find out more here: http://www.trfs.org.uk/news/418_people_we_support_receive_80_000_for_fun_outcomes