WARRINGTON South MP David Mowat has pledged to help find the £150,000 required to save the unique Survivors for Peace project based at Warrington’s Peace Centre, after Prime Minister David Cameron agreed to meet with peace campaigner Colin Parry and hold further talks on the future of the programme which helps victims of terrorism.
Mr Mowat, who is a patron of the Foundation for Peace charity set up by Colin and Wendy Parry said: “As a patron of the charity I am determined to help raise the funds needed from local fund-raising and the government to ensure this unique project can continue.
“It is not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things.”
The issue was raised during Prime Minister Question time yesterday, by Dame Tessa Jowell who called upon the Prime Minister to help find funding for the project.
Mr Mowat said he would be meeting with Tessa Jowell and the Prime Minister with in the next few days to arrange a meeting with Mr Parry and members of the Survivors for Peace programme.
Meanwhile Mr Mowat will be visiting the Peace Centre next Monday for talks with Chief Executive Nick Taylor, followed by a meeting with the Chancellor George Osborne next Wednesday, with a “view to getting something in the budget.”
The Survivors for Peace has helped more than 500 victims including emergency services staff, veterans and survivors involved in the London 7/7 bombing and Troubles in Northern Ireland for the past 12 years.
But as victims and survivors groups outside Northern Ireland are not eligible for any funding and are reliant on public generosity and grants from the likes of the national lottery, the project can not continue beyond April.
Yet, in Northern Ireland, groups are able to finance their activities from European and Government funding.
GB victims’ account for 17% of people who died, over 2000 injured and 350,000 estimated to have served in the armed forces during the conflict.
The Northern Ireland Office has been refusing to consider the issue saying it is not their responsibility.
Earlier this week Nick Taylor, Foundation Chief Executive, said: “It is politically, ethically and morally unacceptable that our organisation, established to support those hurt, bereaved or affected to recover and cope should be treated differently just because we are based in England.
“Treatment and funding should be equitable for people and organisations regardless of geographical jurisdiction and devolved Government.”
Mr Parry, charity founder and father of 12-year-old Tim who along with three-year-old Johnathan Ball, was killed by the IRA bomb attack on Warrington in March 1993′ said: “What is needed is political responsibility and accountability and the Prime Minister should personally intervene to ensure the Northern Ireland Office acts to guarantee British victims and survivors are treated equitably alongside people from Northern Ireland.”
Warrington South Parliamentary candidate Nick Bent added: “I am really pleased to see my former boss Dame Tessa Jowell MP raise the Peace Centre and Survivors for peace project with David Cameron at Prime Ministers Questions and that the Prime Minister has now agreed to meet Colin.”
The funding issue relates to just one of various projects run from the Peace Centre.
Pictures show (from the top) Prime Minister David Cameron, Warrington South MP David Mowat and Colin and Wendy Parry at the Peace Centre.
