A CHARITY has urged Wiltshire Council to prevent the closure of supported accommodation in Salisbury - after learning of the news from a report in the Journal.
As reported by the Journal earlier this month, The Foyer on Wilton Road is to close at the end of March.
The Rose Gale Trust, a charity that has operated in Salisbury since 2010 for the benefit of young people, has submitted a letter to Wiltshire Council regarding the impending closure.
The Foyer provides partially supported accommodation for those between the ages of 16 and 24 attempting to establish independent lives.
In February, A2Dominion, the non-profit organisation which has operated The Foyer for more than 15 years, announced that the facility would be closing after determining that the provision of an adequate service was no longer possible on the conditions Wiltshire Council offered upon renewal.
The Rose Gale Trust expressed disappointment at the closure and revealed that the trustees of the charity only learned of it through an article previously published in the Journal.
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The letter said: “It is disappointing, as Trustees of a local charity The Rose Gale Trust, that we only hear of this done deal from a newspaper article. Over the years The Rose Gale Trust has supported numerous young people during their stays at The Foyer with support, small grants and assistance when needed and possible.”
The letter further offers explanations as to the reasons for the closure and claims it is part of a broader problem of the loss of support for young people in need in Salisbury.
The letter said: “Over recent years there has been a constant erosion of services and support offered to young people in Salisbury, Wiltshire and, indeed nationally.
"We have lost open access to youth work and allied projects such as Bass Connection which offered a safe space to meet peers, play music, socialise and develop a degree of trust and communication with youth teams (also sadly lost) with increases in anti-social behaviour in the country seeming to have followed.”
The letter concludes by urging the council to ensure adequate funding to prevent the closure of The Foyer.
The letter said: "The Foyer in Salisbury is a purpose-built facility that has been a lifeline for young people for over 20 years, we as Trustees of The Rose Gale Trust would ask that you please ensure adequate funding is provided to ensure the service continues from its existing location."
You can see the letter in full here.
Wiltshire Council says A2 Dominion chose not to submit a bid for the new contract.
Councillor Phil Alford, the council's cabinet member for housing, said:
“We understand this news from A2Dominion may cause some concerns for the young people affected and our dedicated Housing Caseworkers are working closely with A2Dominion to finalise move-on plans for those who are currently in the scheme.
“We are aware of A2Dominon’s concerns regarding costs and worked with them to consider alternative options within the previous contract. Unfortunately, they chose not to submit a bid for the new contract.
"Our focus remains ensuring we have the right support in place for people who find themselves homeless and rough sleeping.”
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