
SPONSORED EDITORIAL
Ben View is a community centre based in Dumbarton, that offers support services to some of the most vulnerable within our community.
Our services include a youth programme, personal care for older people in the community, befriending service for older isolated people and a daily lunch and activity club for those 60+.
In the past year the global pandemic presented a massive challenge, especially for those already vulnerable and disconnected in society.
Our staff and volunteers found another level of strength and compassion to ensure we could continue all our services throughout this time.
To continue engaging with all our members we adapted how we delivered what we’ve doing for many years!
Our youth programme changed to an online event which suited this age group very well, many already had the resources required and those who didn’t were given support.
Our personal care service continued to be carried out in people’s homes.
This was a lifeline for many, in most cases this was the only connection they had face to face.
Our great team of care workers went above and beyond supporting members with collection of shopping and prescriptions, not normally part of what we do.
The befriending service changed to telephone sessions which allowed our volunteers to monitor wellbeing and ensure people we supported had all the essential supplies.
Our lunch club adapted to a home delivery service ‘The Doorstep Lunch and Blether Service’ which was hugely successful and brought lots of comfort and joy to both those receiving the service and our volunteers.

“The doorstep service was a life line to so many over the last 14 months, we can’t wait to see everyone face to face again and we hope more people will come along and join us.”
This project was funded through Aviva Community funding and fundraising from the local community who have continued to be welcome supporters of all our services!
As we now begin to open up the lunch service we will be meeting for the first time in 15 months as a group.
For the first few weeks this will take place at the Malt & Myre, where we will enjoy a delicious meal followed by tea and coffee.
These are exciting times for us and the sense of anticipation from both members and volunteers is inspiring.
We can’t wait to be together again, having a laugh and a good blether and putting the world to rights!
If you are aged 60 + then come along and join us, we would love to meet you and offer our support as we all begin to live life to the full again. Please call Leona on 01389 733030 for further information.