Spring centre could close

Heart has been told a centre that provides vital care for children in Gloucestershire may have to close because of lacks of funds.

The Spring centre in Quedgeley has been helping families for 25 years, but they will lose two lots of funding this month and have also been the victim of the economy as less of us are donating to charity.

The families that use the Spring Centre’s services have children with cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, autism, various genetic conditions, global developmental delay and learning and physical disabilities.

Also young adults with special needs over the age of eighteen also use the Spring Centre to continue developing essential life skills like cooking, technology and money awareness;  giving them greater independence.

Jayne Fisher, the Centre Manager at the Spring Centre, Gloucester says:

"We are an independent charity and have to raise approximately £150,000 every year to be able to keep these services up and running.  The last two years have been extremely hard for us and if we had not had a Gloucestershire County Council contract and help from Children in Need, in all totalling £60,000 per year,  we would not have been able to raise sufficient funds.

"From March 2011, our County Council contract and Children in Need grant will end, leaving us totally unsupported and relying on raising all the funds needed ourselves.   Because of the current economic climate, we are now left without any reserves, and it is becoming harder to raise funds."
 

The Spring Centre is looking for businesses to support the charity, donations and looking to set up a dundraising team.

If you would like to make a donation or help out with fundraising please contact Jayne Fisher at the Spring Centre 01452 725935 or email info@thespringcentre.org . To find out more about the Spring Centre go to www.springcentre.org