Councillors urge support for day care centre campaign
Thursday, 29 July 2010
POLITICIANS across Strabane have thrown their weight behind a campaign opposing the feared closure of a centre for disabled people.
Between 10 and 12 people with physical disabilities use a day centre housed within the offices of Strabane and District Caring Services on the town's Bridge Street, which is due to close in around two months.
Users of the day centre have now started a campaign to save the facility, on the back of a meeting with a social worker on July 14. At this meeting, members of the group were told the centre would close on September 30, after which they would be put into placements in the community following a training process.
With nothing of its ilk on offer in or around Strabane, they say its feared closure would confine them to their homes, depriving their families of essential respite, and them of essential mental stimulation.
The members of the group say they are prepared to fight any closure, a sentiment backed by the district's politicians this week.
“The whole thrust of health and social care has of late has been in regard to care in the community," Strabane district councillor, Derek Hussey, said yesterday (Tuesday).
“Quite obviously there is a group of local citizens who have enjoyed and benefited from these local contacts and facility. I, as a local councillor, certainly feel the agreement there is clear from the partnership of this local scheme and I would urge the Trust to reconsider their current decision, which appears to be taken out of financial considerations, with no cognisance of the implications for the clients."
His words were echoed by Michaela Boyle, chairperson of Strabane District Council, who urged people to support the campaign opposing the day centre's feared closure.
“As a local resource there is undoubtedly a need [for the centre] and I and our [party] representatives will be doing everything in our power to make sure it stays open.
“A petition calling for it to be kept open has been circulating and I would ask everyone to get behind it," she added.
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