Debbie Bond, chair of The Enablement Hub (formerly the New Road Day Centre) today delivered the difficult news that the centre, Marlborough’s trusted place for those vulnerable adults with learning / physical / mental health difficulties will be closing. After thirty five years of providing valuable service to the town.
Marlborough.news reported nearly two months ago the ‘change’ in funding that will affect both The Enablement Hub and also The Jubilee Centre. We put ‘Hopefully not’ into the headline. Unfortunately reality is striking and ‘Hope’ is not enough and the members who see The Enablement Hub as a lifeline will lose out. It will affect their lives.
A change in funding – cutting it out all together in eleven months time – will, ironically, cost Wiltshire Council far more as they will have to provide some of the services that are vital for Hub members, but inevitably at a far greater cost.
The Hub moved to the Marlborough Town Football Club clubhouse in Elcot Lane from their former New Road centre last autumn.
Debbie told marlborough.news:
“In January, Wiltshire Council gave grant funded day care providers notice that their grants will reduce by 50% with effect from April, then cease from April 2023. Unfortunately, The Hub cannot sustain the service we provide to clients without regular guaranteed funding. Wiltshire Council are proposing that clubs like the Hub access community grants if they want to continue. Three years ago, we were given notice that all funding would end. Following an enthusiastic media campaign, we were given a stay of execution, so we have feared that the writing was on the wall for small groups like ours. We simply cannot run a business based on the funding model that the Council has proposed at such short notice and without any consultation.
“We moved The Hub to the Football Club (Marlborough Town Football Club) last October to provide outside facilities for the younger members to exercise in and has been a great success. We are very sad that we can no longer continue to carry out the vital services we provide for some of the most vulnerable people in the town. We are doing our best to support our clients and their families during this stressful time. It is disappointing that a town like Marlborough will no longer have this much valued resource.”
Marlborough.news will report developments as and when they happen, and get a response from Wiltshire Council.
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