DEVON PENSIONERS? ACTION FORUM 

The way ahead and refocusing of DPAF

Over the past years DPAF has gone from strength to strength and is now recognised, not only locally but nationally, as the organisation to consult when confronting those issues and worries affecting older persons. This has been proved by the number of TV and newspaper reports that have appeared on a regular basis. 

Last year is was felt that in order to work more efficiently, we should open up and establish branches based on the District Council, City Council and Borough Council areas as well as Torbay Unitary Council and Plymouth Unitary Council. East Devon was divided into two, since it represents the largest of the councils. This resulted in having branches in EDDC Coastal, EDDC Inland, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon D C, North Devon D C, South Hams D C, Teignbridge D C, Torridge D C, West Devon Borough Council, as well as Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council. We also have 40 odd members spread over the rest of the country and who welcome the news we send out every month. 

Some braches have been more successful than others and have held meetings and established contact with other members in their own particular area, but we must do more in this respect. 

Unfortunately it has become a fact of life that I shall not be able to carry on as Chairman /Secretary any longer due to medical problems and that I shall be 82 in a few months time and so I shall be standing down as from the AGM.  I am finding it more and more difficult to maintain the impetus needed to hold our position as the leading pensioner group in the West Country. So the Executive Committee is proposing the following changes in the Constitution. 

A President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, an Administrator/Secretary and Treasurer/Subscription Secretary as Officers of the Forum with a really enthusiastic volunteer from each of the branches as listed above, i.e. 11 other members to form the Executive Committee. The need is for some-one in each of the districts to work to recruit new members,  arrange meetings as and when required and generally act as the liaison between the officers of the Forum and the outside various areas. It needs one individual to be the nominated representative but who could work with a partner/partners to take some of the load. The main thrust would still come from the officers, with them giving the lead, guidance and help as required. We have a very dedicated Vice-Chairman in Colin Hadley who has been doing a vast amount of work behind the scenes and who would be prepared to continue in this role. As we see it, the districts would take part in things such as village fetes, local functions at the schools and churches in that area and to this end we are organising a stall for each of them to display our wares, intentions etc and generally make sure the name of DPAF is kept to the forefront, when older persons needs are debated. 

These changes will need to be agreed at the AGM and so I am waiting for a huge response from members, volunteering to carry on the hard work of nearly 10 years and which I am sorry that I have not been able to complete to a really satisfactory conclusion. We are getting there but we do need to keep up the momentum and I know that there are persons who are willing to do what they can to carry on the work. 

I welcome anyone wishing to discuss the matter in detail but please give it a great deal of thought if we want DPAF to carry on being so successful.

YOUR FORUM NEEDS YOU.