- The Cottage can be contacted at:
67 Burn Close
Bonnygate
Cupar
KY15 4BY
Tel: 01334 657421
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The Cottage before (bottom righthand
side of the picture) and after the building of the Conservatory, funded by the National
Lottery | |||
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Based in a small building found after much searching, The Cottage in Cupar, Fife, can be found in the centre of town and boasts a large garden area. It had been left empty for five years, and the much needed renovation work was largely carried out by members.
Bruce Primrose, who runs the Project as well as having Regional Manager responsibilities, told us that The Cottage is open to members 43 hours a week, Sunday to Saturday, and is also open one evening a week and most Bank holidays. Over 8,000 attendances were chalked up last year, an achievement made possible by the active involvement and support of a large number of members and volunteers. The activities at The Cottage are driven by the needs and requirements of the members, subject of course to resources being available. "Our aim," said Bruce, " is to provide an enjoyable, safe and supportive environment, which is *focused round our caf�. We're in the business of providing assistance to people with mental health problems, and at the heart of what we do is to offer peer group support. "We also give help with issues like benefits, housing, access to work and education, financial and debt counselling, as well as seeking to relieve mental distress. One of the key aims of The Cottage is to promote good mental health, and that's often achieved by working together with other agencies." |
The Project has attracted a lot of outside funding, most notably a grant from the National Lottery to allow the building of a conservatory on to the main building. The garden area is used for growing vegetables, but there is also a fish pond and fountain, restored in memory of a member.
Apart from involvement in various campaigns, including the inappropriate use of B & B accommodation for discharged patients, The Cottage produces its own in-house newsletter, called - appropriately enough, Cottage Pie. The Cottage is used by Social Work and the Health Trusts as a means of consulting with service users about developments in local services. At the moment, the main issue is that of moving services out of the local hospital and into the community. This is a source of a mixture of apprehension and enthusiasm for change, but given the current resources situation, it will be some time before that process is completed. The Cottage is closely involved with many other local mental health charities, and provides practical and other support. At the heart of the community, it's a vital resource for promoting the well-being of those suffering from mental illness and the team of Helen, Alan and Lorna, led by Bruce Primrose are justly proud of their achievements.
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