VIDEO: WARRINGTON Wolves’ veteran “Super Bennie Westwood” volunteered his time to show support for the Room at the Inn project, which he says is providing a vital service helping save peoples lives.
Westwood visited the facility on Winmarleigh Street which provides accommodation for homeless people and currently receives a temporary £3,000 a month grant from Warrington Borough Council to remain open.
Westwood said: “I have come down to show my support and raise awareness because a lot of people still don’t know it is here and I will do all I can to help.
“It is an essential services which has helped save peoples lives. It would be sad to take this facility away from the people and it would sicken me if it had to close.”
Supporters of the facility, which was originally linked to the YMCA before it closed last year due to lack of funding, fear for its future if Warrington Borough Council withdraw their financial support.
A spokesperson for Warrington Borough Council: “Room at the Inn receives £3,000 per month from Warrington Borough Council to support their provision. Room at the Inn would be given three months’ notice on any decision to withdraw the grant as the Council does with any funding of this type – and they have had no such notice.
“Due to the basic nature of the sleeping arrangements – cubicles with curtains – the policy has always been to aim to bring about improvements to our overall provision. This is in line with the recommendations of the independent Homelessness Commission report published in March 2014 and with the Homelessness Needs Assessment published in January 2015 – which identified the shortfalls of the provision at Room At The Inn.
“The decision on the grant for Room at the Inn is that it will continue until we can be confident that we have all the measures in place to secure an improved offer for homeless people in the borough. The grant for Room at the Inn was set up as a temporary measure to help provide for emergency needs at that point in time and Room at the Inn have always been aware of the temporary nature of this funding.”
2 Comments
For some reason I can’t watch the video as after a few seconds it gives an error saying ‘Video unavailable
Sorry, this video could not be played..Learn More(link)…’ and stops just after you say ‘Benny Westwood’ Gary. Just thought I’d mention it as I’ve never had that problem viewing before.
Shame that and odd but it’s good to hear that he clearly supports the service and is backing them 😀
I hope they don’t loose their much needed funding and are forced to close like the YMCA was as it’s clear that those who sadly find themselves homeless and sleeping on the streets of Warrington for whatever reasons NEED the help and support of places like this. WBC you have a DUTY to make sure there is provision, help, support so a warm and safe place for people to go if only for a warm meal and a bed for a night or so especially in winter time 🙁
WBC stated in one of their ‘forward thinking reports and plans’ reports some years back that by 2018 there would be NO people sleeping rough on the streets of Warrington but clearly they were wrong as the problem still exists. Yes WBC have had to face cuts but come on elected council and back the places who ARE making a difference so more like them don’t face closure cutting of what little lifeline there is left for those who need it until you come up with a better and more robust long term plan that WILL work.
Still working fine for me – so must be a problem at your end Dizzy