PERSHORE SAYS SAVE OUR CARE CENTRE

7.27.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Apr 2008

Supporters of Pershore Care Centre marching from Station Road into the town on Saturday, cheered by residents and visitors en route supporting the campaign to keep the town's Centre open.

Richard Burt joined clients, carers and parents along with Liberal Democrat councillor colleagues on the march and helped release twenty helium balloons, one for each year that the Centre has been open, with a message attached to the Conservative Leader of the County Council, calling on him to scrap plans to axe the Care Centre which is a second home for young men with profound multiple learning difficulties.

Richard Burt said:

"Saturday's demonstration sent a strong message to the Conservative run County Council that the Care Centre is highly valued by Pershore people. They do not want to see it axed to save money.

"If these young men are moved to larger facilities with less specialised care they are likely to become distressed and could end up in permanent residential care at far greater cost, to the detriment of their own and their families' well being.

"It is vital that the experience and teamwork of carers, parents and professionals developed over the past twenty years at Pershore is maintained. Why should these young men suffer when the count y councillors making these decisions are spending millions on their own facilities at County Hall?"