Announcement

It is with great sadness that Cluster Care closed on 3rd September 2024.
The following is the announcement made following the recent AGM.

At the recent AGM of the Cluster Care Group, those present learned
that the Group cannot continue to provide the service to local people that
it has done over the past thirty years.
The reasons for this are, firstly, our income simply has not met
expenditure since the local authority, OCC, ceased to fund us in 2016.
Since that time, we have depended on the reserves built up in Cluster’s
early years and the generosity of local groups, parish councils, small
local authority contributions and grant giving charities. Secondly, we
have seen a sharp decline in membership of Cluster, and recently have
been looking after only three or four members each Tuesday. This
means that our income from members has also declined, and the cost
per member has increased significantly.
The meeting learned that Cluster will run out of funds within the next few
months. In order to plan closure and honour our obligations to members,
staff and volunteers we have decided that our last session will be on
Tuesday 3rd September 2024.
We will put our remaining members in touch with local charities who
provide a similar service to us.
We know how much the Group has meant to local people over the years
and that you will share the disappointment felt by those who had to
make this difficult decision.
Our constitution requires that we hold a meeting of members and
volunteers with 21days notice and this will be held on 6 th August 2024 at
7.30pm at the Bourtons Village Hall. At this meeting we plan to ratify the
decision made at the AGM and also decide which local charities should
benefit from any monies or assets remaining at the time of closure.
We want to take this opportunity to thank all those who helped the Group
to provide the service over many years, the generous donors, the
volunteers, our staff and all those trustees past and present who gave
their time so unstintingly.