Perthshire charity’s new base will help change lives

Group has served the region’s Carers for 37 years

A Perthshire charity hopes to change thousands more Carers’ lives after investing in its first ever owned base in nearly four decades.

Crossroads Cares has helped thousands of family carers, and those they support, throughout Perthshire and Kinross for 37 years, working in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council.

During this time, they have operated from rented city premises.

Now, just 12 months after appointing its first CEO, the progressive charity has moved to cement its long-term future with a permanent base in Perth’s newest neighbourhood.

First Minister John Swinney officially opened the charity’s office at Bertha Park, a planned new village on the northwest outskirts of Perth, which will contain 3000 new homes when complete.

The open plan hub contains a dedicated training space, with over 50 Crossroads staff out in the community, serving up to 200 clients at any one time.

Access onto to the city’s new £150m Cross-Tay Link Road also means frontline care staff can reach clients, who require respite or personal care, more readily than before.

‘Sustainable future’

Trustees say the charity’s first home helps to ensure it can continue to change lives over the coming decades and service the demand for care services which is widely acknowledged.

“We were well served by our previous base in the City but now is the right time to move to our own permanent base as part of our long-term plan,” said Board Chair, David Lindsay.

“By having a sustainable future, we can improve more lives and have even more impact, which has always been our objective.

“Having our own premises provides stability and will allow us to continue to develop the excellent partnership working we enjoy with Perth & Kinross Council.”

Proud history of care

While Crossroads Cares offers core funded services through its partnership with the Council, it also provides private care to those who cannot otherwise access funded care and who have means to pay.

In a highly regulated environment, having a dedicated staff training space in the new hub enables staff training and development whilst at the same time provides the office-based staff with a modern and effective working environment.

“We are very proud of our past, but we must also look to the future,” said CEO Gary Hay, who was appointed 12 months ago.

“We have introduced strategic initiatives that will allow us to grow sustainably and at a pace we can manage. Our previous training facilities were limited, so having dedicated space for staff development, training and support is a significant step forward.

“The new office provides a modern, welcoming environment where colleagues can learn, interact and feel valued, strengthening the service we provide. As one member of the office team remarked, being in our new premises feels like coming home.”

Creating opportunity

As well as enlisting a Chief Executive and investing in premises, Crossroads is working with local schools to enhance pathways into care employment for young people.

The charity is establishing links with high schools in the Perth & Kinross area, through its Crossroads Academy initiative, to build links to careers in care for school leavers, acknowledging that recruiting new workers is a sector challenge.