WARRINGTON YMCA is less than five months away from closure due to the continued lack of funding support for the charity and now a new online petition has been launched in a bid to save it.
Warrington Trades Council say that Warrington Borough Council seem to be doing little to help keep the charity open, with only 130 days worth of funding left before doors have to close.
They are calling on the council to help the town’s major service provider for homeless people and its most vulnerable residents with the £3.2m that was recently drawn down from reserves.
A new petition has been set up calling for the crisis situation to be discussed at the next full council meeting.
A spokesman for the Trade Council said: “Warrington Trades Council would like to remind Warrington Borough Council of their commitment to eradicate homelessness by 2018 and to remind the Labour administration that they were elected in May on a manifesto where the first priority was to protect the most vulnerable residents in Warrington.
“The YMCA has had a number of meetings with WBC CEO Steven Broomhead and Russ Bowden since February and so far the only help that has been definitely offered is officer time to identify funding streams.
“Whilst the manager at the YMCA, Susan Blyth is very grateful for this help, Trades Council feel that it is completely inadequate.
“The YMCA only have 2 full time members of staff, so funding applications are often completed when the service has been closed up for the night and at a time when staff are very tired. Hardly an ideal situation.
“Trades Council call upon WBC to offer practical and financial support to help the YMCA before time runs out.”
To view the petition, click here
*The Warrington Trades Council is a sub-division of the TUC and brings together trade union branches from the different trades and workplaces across Warrington and surrounding district. It dates back to 1886.
