How will independence affect me?

What does it mean?

Will I still have access to the same services?

Will I automatically become a member of the new organisation, DACymru?

Will this change affect how I pay for my membership?

Will the membership fees change?

What does it mean?

Independence will allow us to focus our efforts more directly on the specific needs and wants of people affected by depression in Wales. It also means that we will be free to develop and pursue the campaigns, services, resources and policies that reflect these needs and wants, and it will enable us to run more effectively as an organisation. Back to top

Will I still have access to the same services?

Yes. Alongside the new services that DACymru will be developing in the future, our members will still be able to access those run from the London office, such as DATalk and the penfriend scheme. Depression Alliance's quarterly newsletter, A Single Step, is not currently in production but, when it is back up and running, DACymru members will continue to receive this publication as usual. We will continue to work very closely with our sister bodies, Depression Alliance and Depression Alliance Scotland, to develop campaigns and resources that deal with issues concerning people affected by depression across the UK. Back to top

Will I automatically become a member of the new organisation, DACymru?

Yes. Every member of Depression Alliance who has a Welsh address will automatically become a member of DACymru. However, should you wish to remain a member of Depression Alliance rather than Depression Alliance Cymru, please let us know and we will be more than happy to arrange this for you. Back to top

Will this change affect how I pay for my membership?

This will depend on the method that you choose to pay for your membership. Cash, cheques and postal orders can still be sent to the DACymru office. However, as we have a new bank account, people who pay by Standing Order will need to cancel their current payment arrangement and set up a new one. It is important that you do not wait until your membership is due for renewal to do this. You can do it today by completing the membership form at the bottom of this page and returning it to us.

Unfortunately, due to costs, we are currently unable to accept payment by credit card, debit card or direct debit. However, we hope to offer these methods in future, so we will keep you informed of any developments. Back to top

Will the membership fees change?

Yes. In line with Depression Alliance, DACymru has increased the cost of becoming a member very slightly, to £15 (full fee), £7.50 (unwaged) and £50 (organisations). As we receive only limited funding we rely on membership fees and donations to ensure that our projects and services can continue. However, regular committed support allows us to plan for the future and means that we can spend our time directly helping people affected by depression in Wales rather than raising funds just to be here. Therefore, we are delighted to offer a discount to people who choose to pay by either annual or monthly Standing Order, with the full fee at £12 (£3 quarterly/£1 monthly) and the unwaged fee at £6 (£1.50 quarterly). Back to top

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