Dates-n-Mates would like to share the news that we have officially become an independent charity as of April 2023.
As you may know, Dates-n-Mates began as a project of C-Change Scotland in 2008. The project was launched after several organisations, listening to the people they supported, recognised a common issue. Adults with learning disabilities were saying that they wanted the same opportunity for love and friendship they saw available to everyone else.
Throughout the last 15 years, with the support of C-Change, we have developed branches in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
Dates-n-Mates have facilitated a wide variety of social events and relationship opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, seeing the development of many meaningful connections for our members over the years. This has always been and will continue to be at the very core of what we do.
C-Change has supported Dates-n-Mates to develop and to grow both its offer and membership. The support of C-Change colleagues has been extremely valuable to us and we will continue a close connection with them.
However, it is now time for Dates-n-Mates to make its own way in the world.
So, what changes?
Over the next few months, you may notice that you see our contact information such as email addresses change from C-Change details to Dates-n-Mates. Our new OSCR registered charity and company numbers will be displayed on our resources and we will refer to ourselves as a charitable organisation rather than a project.
This new charity status may allow for new opportunities and funding for Dates-n-Mates in the future. However, what we offer and how we operate will continue as normal.
We would like to take this time to say thank you to C-Change, all of our funders and our members who have supported Dates-n-Mates over the last 15 years. We look forward to bringing you along with us on this next exciting chapter!
