Orkney Disability Forum

After 7 years renting premises from Scottish and Southern Electricity (SSE) in the old Power Station, Dial-a-bus and Orkney Disability Forum are now looking for new premises.
Hazel Aim, manager of the charity expressed her gratitude to SSE for being excellent landlords and emphasised that their support and generosity had helped the organisation to grow into the strong position it holds today.  They provided a large office space and yard at a very affordable rent that would be difficult to find elsewhere in such a central location. However, the energy company has been involved in their own developments with renewables and this has meant that they are likely to need extra office space in the future.  She added ‘the work that SSE are doing has meant that there is a lot of heavy plant moving around in our yard and so it’s now not so appropriate to have the general public visiting our offices’. 
The charity is now looking at its options and hopes that it will be able to find a new space that meets all their needs.  As well as running the Dial-a-bus service, Orkney Disability Forum provides advice and information on disability issues, runs a wheelchair and scooter hiring scheme, runs training courses, runs 2 social clubs for people with disabilities and stocks disability living aids.  It also formed, OCTO, a community interest company around 3 years ago to help them fund their activities.   There is no firm date for the move although it would ideally suit the company to move before the start of their busy summer period.  Orkney Islands Council and Voluntary Action Orkney have been advised of the decision to move and along with SSE, have both offered their support to help the charity during this transition.  In the meantime, Orkney Disability Forum would welcome comments or suggestions about their services and the imminent move to help them establish their needs and aspirations for their new home.