The Jenner Centre – DD9 Connections Issue No. 5

, by BHG Editor

The recent rise in gas and electricity costs have made us consider whether we can afford to keep the Jenner Centre going on a full time basis. Our landlord has been extremely supportive throughout our 21/2 years at 24 St David’s Street but he cannot be expected to absorb the very high increases which will affect us all in the next few months.

We have approached all the different agencies who have been using the Jenner Centre but unfortunately most of them are unable to cover the costs and are having to find rent-free places in which to see their clients, or rely on phone contact. Both the agencies and their clients have found that the Jenner Centre has been a friendly and helpful environment and both they and BHG are disappointed that they will not be able to continue.

In the meantime we will be open on Mondays (toenail cutting) and Tuesday and Friday mornings for hearing aid care. We may open in the early afternoons on Tuesdays and Fridays but this will depend on rooms being booked.

You will see from Grahame Lockhart’s foreword that we are in discussion with Brechin City FC  and Brechin Community Football Trust to work together. It is proposed that in time we will offer those services, and more, from Glebe Park. We have requested that Stagecoach arranges for the Town Service bus to turn into Glebe Park so that access will be easy as we can make it for our clients and we await their response There is also plenty of parking space for those who need it.

This move, however, will mean that the opportunity for folk to drop in to the Jenner Centre as they do now to ask for information and advice will be limited. We will of course still welcome you during our limited opening times if you need to ask a question, find information, get help with completing forms or need help with using eConsult which is recommended by the Health Centre to access health. And of course this same opportunity will be available in time at Glebe Park.

We will make sure that the new opening hours are displayed on the Jenner Centre door and look forward to continuing our support for the local community.

Moira Robertson

Trustee