Day Care petition

As regular readers will know, two weeks ago Eddisbury MP Stephen O'Brien, chaired a packed meeting to discuss the future of Age Concern Cheshire's rural day care centres based at Tarporley, Tattenhall, Malpas, Kelsall and Audlem. It was held at the Barbour Institute in Tattenhall – see Audlem Online report on 19th July.

Stephen O'Brien and local campaigners launched a petition at the meeting which calls on Age Concern Cheshire to continue to run and fund the rural centres until a suitable alternative organisation takes over the running of the facilities. As well as pressurising the two Cheshire councils to debate the issue, the petition will also be presented to Parliament by Stephen O'Brien.

Petition forms are now available in a number of Audlem shops including Boots Pharmacy.

When Age Concern Cheshire (ACC) announced in March that it was withdrawing its support, thus leading to the closure of the centres, there was spontaneous fierce opposition from local users, staff, volunteers and Stephen O'Brien as their local MP. Despite this, ACC are persisting with their plans to close the day centres, although closure has now been put back to next year.

Stephen O'Brien said: "I have been contacted by hundreds of people – service users, their families, staff, volunteers, local residents and councillors – about the closure of these invaluable rural day care centres. From the letters I have received and the people I have spoken to there is a consensus among those who use and volunteer at the centres that the impact of these proposed closures has not been properly evaluated.

"I am deeply concerned about the proposed closures and the negative impact this will have on some of the most vulnerable people in these communities. The day care centres are highly valued by the frail and elderly people that use them. It allows them to socialise and interact with their friends, provides organised activities and gives their carers some much needed respite.

"All in all, the day care centres at Tattenhall, Tarporley, Kelsall, Malpas and Audlem provide a vitally important local service that makes a real difference to the lives of all those who use them and their families.

"I have requested a meeting with the Chief Executive and Trustees of Age Concern Cheshire, to which I plan to lead a delegation of campaigners and local representatives for further discussions on the future of the centres in our combined efforts to secure their long term future."

At the meeting, Gill Clough who is the former Care Services Manager for ACC and resigned over the planned closures, said: "The day care centres support the most vulnerable and frail people in the community. These are often people who live alone and otherwise would not leave the house.

"I believe the council should spend some of their money on the elderly and frail, and not just the fitter, mobile people. I think the council's money is better spent on the day care centres rather than expanding the 'Supporting You' scheme.

Stephen O'Brien concluded by asking the meeting to pass a resolution which read: "We gathered here today fully support the retention of the invaluable community service and facilities that the Age Concern Cheshire Day Care Centres in Tarporley, Tattenhall, Kelsall, Malpas and Audlem provide for the elderly and vulnerable.

"We call upon Age Concern Cheshire to continue running our rural day care centres until such time that a handover to an alternative organisation or public body can be accommodated."

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