The Red Cross of the Lot Valley recently opened its new premises to the public, acquired in December 2023. Located at 58, rue De-Coquard, this new 220 m space² is a breath of fresh air for the 70 volunteers of the local branch. Cramped in the original building made available by the town hall since the 1990s at 28, rue Tout-y-Croit, the Red Cross has relocated its various formations, but not only that.
“Here you have a sanitary area with a shower and washing facilities, a corner for food distribution and a “confidential listening” room which will allow you to set up a place for discussion according to needs,” explains Jean-François Gary, president of the local branch.
“There is a demand in Villeneuve-sur-Lot”
This new building will also house a space for the French refresher workshop, a corner reserved for volunteers, but also a space dedicated to PSC1 training (first aid gestures), the first workshop of which began on Saturday November 9. “Volunteers now only take care of this. We are currently organizing one training session (1) per month, but we would also like to intervene in schools and in establishments welcoming the elderly, specifies Jean-François Gary. People have been waiting for this for a long time, there is a demand in Villeneuve-sur-Lot. We had to send it back to Marmande and Agen because we were unable to offer it. »
For an investment of 150,000 euros, the Red Cross has now moved into the former CBS establishments, which had been transformed into an artist's studio and home by the next owner.
“In the building on rue Tout-y-Croit, we had all our activities: social grocery store, clothing store, training, administrative premises… Then we ended up running out of space because the textile sector was consuming more and more space », says Jean-François Gary. The sale of second-hand clothing, which represents the economic lifeblood of the Red Cross, will only be available in the building lent by the town hall, the latter having renewed the provision agreement. She is also committed to redoing the roof, the work of which will soon be completed.
“We still need to make ourselves known”
As with each new acquisition, the Red Cross wants to make this new premises a “place of life and exchange open to all”. “There are other projects that we want to implement here, including welcoming and listening to people in difficulty. What we could no longer do correctly in the other building,” explains Brigitte Tran Kiem, former president of the Red Cross of the Lot Valley.
But that's not all. The Red Cross is also considering setting aside half-days for people with Alzheimer's disease. An idea which is only at the project stage at present. Before that, volunteers will resume marauding in the streets of Villeneuve-sur-Lot from the end of November and throughout the winter.
This new building will soon be officially inaugurated. Before that, and until he is fully ready to receive all his new functions, he remains solely dedicated to training. Maybe time to look for new volunteers. “We are always lacking,” specifies Jean-François Gary. For this, the Red Cross will be present at the Villeneuve-sur-Lot market on Saturday November 30. “People know the word Red Cross, but they don't always know that we have clothing stores, that we do marauding or even training,” adds Jean-François Gary.
An antenna project in Fumelois?
Faced with the increasingly large influx of people coming from Fumélois, the Red Cross is considering establishing a lasting presence in the sector. “We are going to contact the town halls to start by carrying out raids. We have volunteers who come from there and we also welcome people who come from Fumel, Lacapelle-Biron, Monflanquin… We are also told that some cannot come to see us for mobility problems. We are also considering making contact with communities outside urban areas,” explains Jean-François Gary.
(1) Training available upon registration at ul.lavallé[email protected] or at 05 53 70 34 87. Ten places per session. Contribution per day of 60 euros. Presentation of a state-approved first aid diploma.
