A DISAGREEMENT between former Alzheimer’s Society local branch volunteers and head office intensified yesterday.
Tensions have been running high for months after the national group announced it planned to disband all local branches and make day-to-day operational decisions itself.
The move culminated in committee members and volunteers resigning and forming the Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association.
Local chairman Jurat Mike Tanguy (pictured) announced the move last week and said the Alzheimer’s Society had been served notice to vacate the Delancey day centre, which would be taken over by the new association from 1 April. He stressed that no services would be affected.
But a spokeswoman for the national charity denied it had been served notice and said it would continue to operate there as normal.
The Diocese of Portsmouth owns the building and Mr Tanguy yesterday confirmed Catholic Dean of Guernsey Father Michael Hore had served notice on the church’s behalf. Mr Tanguy added that Father Michael had yesterday informed the diocese of the action taken.
‘As a local tenant our branch received notice on 1 October 2009 to vacate the premises on 31 March 2010,’ Mr Tanguy said. ‘This is also the date our local branch committee resigns, coinciding with the standing down of all volunteer committees in England Wales and Northern Ireland as instructed by the national chairman.
‘From 1 April 2010, the new independent association will continue to support our community as it has done for the past 12 years.’
Mr Tanguy said a copy of the letter giving notice was sent to the national chairman of the society.
When announcing the split last week, Mr Tanguy said the local committee had been ‘dismayed’ at the behaviour of head office officials and added that changes had been made ‘without any consultation’.
Alzheimer’s Society area manager for the south-west Debbie Donnison denied that. ‘We are saddened that Jurat Mike Tanguy has not been reconciled with the changes being made and has resigned.
‘His differences with us arise from a decision by trustees, last November, and following a long period of consultation with volunteers and staff, to move to a structure that allows us to deliver more services to more people in more places. We believe comments made by Mr Tanguy are misleading and do not represent the true situation in Guernsey.’
She said the society was committed to increasing services for people in the island affected by dementia.
‘Any donations to the Alzheimer’s Society to help people on Guernsey will remain on the island.’
But Mr Tanguy hit back at the comments yesterday. ‘Our committee has requested repeatedly since last year a meeting with area representatives. There has been no response,’ he said.
Father Michael Hore was unavailable for comment yesterday.
The Rev. Stephen Morgan, secretary to the trustees of the Diocese of Portsmouth, was also unavailable.
Article posted on 19th March, 2010 - 2.29pm
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