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| Trustees Report |
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Report From the Chair It is with great sadness that I begin this report by
recording the death of Don Major in March of this year. Don had been Vice-Chair of
Doorstep for most of the 1990s, and was immensely supportive over the years, coming to the
office for meetings, to sign cheques or just to chat even when his health was failing. He
will be greatly missed. Along with other organisations in this field of work,
Doorstep has been preoccupied for much of the past year with preparations for the
implementation of "Supporting People". This government initiative is, in simple
terms, aimed at rationalising the funding for all projects providing supported
accommodation. From 2003 all funding of "support" will be distributed under the
direction of the local authority. It represents an opportunity to implement an integrated
and more effective system which could bring benefits all round. If badly executed,
however, some organisations may not survive, in turn leaving some needy people
unsupported. We must hope that the "powers that be" do not waste this
opportunity. Doorstep has continued with its modest development
programme, with the completion and letting of St George's Road (two flats) and the
purchase of a flat at High Court on Orchard Park. We are also in the process of
negotiations with Hull City Council over the possibility of managing some of their flats
as move-on accommodation for our clients. Although there is some way to go, it has the
potential of an exciting new venture and may perhaps open a new era in our relations
with the City Council. Doorstep's staff continue to deal valiantly with the
vicissitudes of working with young homeless people - sometimes fraught with the effects of
substance abuse, break-ins or the threat of violence; other times quieter, with the
opportunity to work constructively with clients and their problems. For all their
dedication and hard work, I continue to offer, on behalf of the Management Committee, my
gratitude and admiration, and wish them further success in the year ahead. Hugh J. Lundberg Chair
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