A NEW social enterprise set up across Dartmoor to meet local care needs has been passing on its success story to local MP Mel Stride.

The member for Central Devon was briefed on expansion plans in the pipeline for North East Dartmoor Care (NEDCare).

He was told how the group’s not-for-profit support services were already helping people in remoter rural communities to access social care at home through their ‘signposting’ facility.

The team also outlined plans to recruit staff and achieve the regulated status required to offer social care support direct through their own crew of professional social carers.

Funding for the social enterprise has come from a crowd-funding appeal on the internet which raised £10,000 together with a top-up donation from the League of Friends of Moretonhampstead Hospital.

NEDCare’s Juilia Darby explained: ‘It is estimated that 200 people a year in our local area struggle to get the regulated care they need.

‘And many people cannot return home after periods in hospital because of the lack of support close to home.’

She said: ‘This is especially the case for those in more rural areas. We aim to develop a service that fills these gaps.

‘We have now advertised for an experienced manager to take us through the process of securing regulated status, after which we will be taking on a dedicated team.’

Mr Stride enthused: ‘This is an excellent new social enterprise aimed at addressing one of the key challenges facing rural communities today – the provision of high-quality social care to residents in our more remote locations.

‘Currently the provision of this support is too often a struggle for existing traditional providers. A community-based approach has the potential, through closer engagement with local communities, to provide a solution.’