Uncertain times ahead

A community workshop that serves elderly, disabled and vulnerable people will have to close next year unless it can find thousands of pounds to keep going.

The co-ordinator of the Dukeries Community Workshop, Mrs Sandy Jackson, said reserve funding of £16,000 would only take the facility through to around July.

The workshop, based at Dukeries College, Ollerton, offers practical courses such as joinery and carpentry, and helps people to rebuild confidence and social skills.

It costs around £35,000 a year to run.

Mrs Jackson said: “We have had no definite offers of funding for next year, and if we don’t get money in soon we won’t be able to survive beyond July.

“The workshop offers extremely good value when you consider that we get 17 people through the door every day and have 250 people who use us throughout the year.”

The workshop’s Government funding ends in March as part of wide-ranging spending cuts.

It will have to rely on donations to keep going.

Dukeries College has had its community budget slashed as part of Nottinghamshire County Council spending cuts.

Mrs Jackson said: “Many of the people who come here have been bereaved, or are recovering from illness and this gives them a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

“They can acquire new interests and skills at a stage when they need to go in a new direction. They develop a network of support and make new friends.

“The volunteers are highly skilled and some come from similar backgrounds so they really know how to help people.”

Mrs Jackson believed it was the only remaining community workshop of its type in England.

“It is the sort of thing that once it’s gone, it’s gone,” she said.

The workshop hosted a coffee morning last week that raised £450.

Mrs Jackson said they were hoping to organise other fundraisers.