An award-winning Shrewsbury mental health charity is on the brink of closure after its funding was cut – meaning up to 3,000 vulnerable people could be left ‘stranded’.
Fears have also been raised by committee members of the Acorn Group that hospital services could face further strain and that suicide rates may rise in the town as a result.
The charity, on Castle Business Park, was set up in 2002 and has handed in its notice on the property after closing five weeks ago when organisers were told funding had been slashed.
The Acorn Group committee
They previously relied on fundraising and an annual £15,000 grant from the Shropshire County Primary Care Trust (PCT) – which has now been axed.
Service users, some of whom have conditions such as schizophrenia, are said to have been left devastated by the news.
Two part-time staff have been made redundant and committee members say they are ‘furious’ with the PCT after being told in January that funding was available – £9,000 of which goes on rent.
It provides a lifeline service for people with mental health conditions and 3,000 users benefitted from the Acorn Group last year, with people travelling from as far away as Staffordshire.
Three-hour sessions are held on Monday and Thursday evenings and on Saturday and Sunday and it is believed to be the only charity of its kind operating at those times.
Eirlys Evans, project founder, said: “We met with the PCT in January and they assured us that our grant would come through in April but when we met with them in June they said ‘tough’ – we haven’t got the money and you should never have been promised.
“We’ve been left completely in limbo and haven’t got any money left so it looks like it’s going to be the end I’m afraid.
“These vulnerable people have been treated like waste.
“The money we save other organisations is unbelievable and this could place a bigger strain on hospital services and also put suicide rates up.”
Committee member Suzanne Khalaileh said figures of how many people use the service proved how crucial it was and that vulnerable people would be left stranded.
Sam Hill, head of partnership and business planning at Shropshire County PCT, said: “We have offered to work with the Acorn Group since its one-off funding came to end – to not only identify other potential funding sources but also to see how they may be able to work with other local groups to deliver some of their services.”
By David Seadon