New position bodes well for Dunbeath area
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A charity organisation has employed a new operational growth manager to deliver efficient services at Dunbeath and District Centre (DDC).
Daniel Macleod, a local man, started his position last Monday at the health and well-being hub and comes from an engineering background with "transferable skills" for the community development role.
Margaret Sutherland, DDC chairperson, said: "Daniel joins the management team at a pivotal point in community development in the south east of Caithness. His role along with governance, staff management and his own continued professional development will be to deliver the Jigsaw Project.
"NHS Highland core-fund us and we are a registered charity. We have a core service level agreement with NHS Highland to provide a social setting that benefits the community. People gather together (before Covid) in a social setting and enjoy a meal and activities."
Covid meant that DDC redesigned its model of service to outreach, providing or delivering meals along with shopping services, getting prescriptions, newspaper delivery and whatever essential items are required for people who are shielding. As restrictions eased earlier this year, the centre looked at how it could safely reopen and started the Jigsaw Project for its 285 service users in southeast Caithness.
Margaret added: "We are looking at how we can accommodate more people and are also looking at climate change and how we can comply with new regulations coming in. We are hoping to build something new in Dunbeath around about two-and-a-half times bigger than what we have and to repurpose our existing building into accommodation for people with mobility problems and disabilities as a holiday home for them."
Daniel's two-year position will involve taking the Jigsaw Project forward to attain these goals by supporting the board, staff and volunteers to "make the community's dream a reality". He is employed to provide overall leadership and strategic direction to DDC. The position of operational growth manager has been funded for 24 months by Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd, the Robertson Trust, SSE Community Resilience, Bad a Cheo Wind Farm and the Hugh Fraser Foundation.
