Moray Shopmobility closes after 30 years of support in Elgin
Years of funding cuts have forced a High Street mainstay to close after 30 years of serving Moray.
Asked about the closure of Shopmobility Moray, coordinator Joyce Quincey said: “If people ask me that too often, I’ll be bursting into tears.”
Joyce worked at the Elgin charity for 23 years, helping to provide free access to wheelchairs, power scooters, walkers and other mobility aids, after joining in 2002.
She said Shopmobility Moray, formed in 1995, had been left to rely on money donated in a bequest after Moray Council cut its funding in February 2022.
But by March 7 this year the charity was forced to close because there was “no money, full stop”.
“It's bad. It's very, very bad,” Joyce added.
“And considering that I'm in my early 70s, it's a big wrench.
“Because it was a good thing to do.
“And everybody I know that has been associated with it is feeling the same thing.”
Since the closure, volunteers and staff have been clearing out the charity’s long-time home at 57 High Street, Elgin.
“Most of the equipment is gone,” Joyce said.
“We've got a few things that we need to get to get rid of, you know, Christmas decorations and stuff like that.
“But, yeah, that's where we are.
“After 30 years that's us up the creek without a paddle, if you see what I mean.”
Shopmobility Moray had been appealing for funding for more than a year but could not find the cash required.
Joyce said that the charity had to return money from a community-led GoFundMe appeal to its backers, over potential legal risks.
Elgin BID had advised that the crowdfunder could see the charity sued because it had not been approved by the board of directors.
However, Joyce stressed that Elgin BID had not done anything wrong and criticism of the organisation on social media was unfair.
“A lot of people are blaming BID for it for some reason, I don't know why,” Joyce said.
“BID just advised us on the legality of something that we hadn't set up and were saying we could be done for fraud.
“All this nastiness is coming out about BID, and it’s absolutely nothing to do with them.”
The co-ordinator also paid tribute to those who have used and supported Moray Shopmobility over the years.
“We want to give a great big thank you to people, and I hope we provided them with the help that they needed at the time they needed it,” Joyce said.
“And especially the ones that have used us in the past three years since we lost the funding from the council.
“Also thank you to the people that helped us with donations, even just the little donations, because obviously we know people don't have the money right now.
“We’d just like to thank everybody.”
Given the current state of public finances, Joyce warned that Shopmobility Moray is not unique in facing severe pressures.
“We'd already heard that Highland Shopmobility in Inverness used to get money from the health service, which we think has been stopped,” she said.
“I know they've had to lay some people off and they don't open as many days.
“So they could be following us.”
