A Dundee centre for the elderly in “desperate need” of volunteers may have to stop taking new service users.
Mid-Lin Day Care Centre on Pitkerro Road provides activities, entertainment and a social setting for vulnerable elderly people, including those with dementia.
The facility is almost entirely run by its 55 volunteers and needs at least 20 more to relieve the pressure and allow the centre to cater to more people.
Kitchen assistants, administrators, drivers, escorts, and handymen are the positions that need to be filled most urgently.
Manager Debi Wallace said: “We have a real shortage of volunteers and we are desperate. The centre is more or less run by volunteers; we have only nine paid members of staff.
“We provide activities for the elderly such as live entertainment, dominoes, quizzes, manicures and more.
“At the moment there are 55 volunteers but they are not full-time.
“They’re under a lot of pressure and are ending up working more hours than they want because they don’t like to say no. But they have other commitments and we’d like to take the pressure off them.
“We need at least 20 more volunteers. “We’re grateful for any time a volunteer can spare, even if it is just three hours a week.”
Debi explained that the age of the volunteer does not matter. Currently, they have volunteers ranging from the age of 18 to 80.
The service users they would be working with vary from ages 50 to 90.
Debi added: “Volunteering is very fulfilling and it is also great work experience for those wanting to work in the care sector.”
Mid-Lin Day Care Centre is having an open day on May 22 for anyone interested in either volunteering or using the services of the centre.
If anyone is interested in volunteering, they can e-mail officemidlin@yahoo.co.uk or call 01382 506451.