Drop-in centre will help unemployed and those on low income
Friday, 3 January 2014
Unemployed and low-income residents in the Calder Valley have been given a late Christmas Present with the opening of a £20.000 drop in centre.
Salem drop-in centre based at the Ground Floor Project on Central Steet, Hebden Bridge, will officially open its doors in the new year.
Ground Floor Project chairman Les Siddall told the HebWeb that it will "act as an all-purpose one stop centre to provide support, advice, access to work experience and address the needs or the disadvantaged, the job-seeking unemployed, disabled and people on low or fixed incomes".
Funding came from the Duke of York - £5,000 - and £10,000 from the European Union Key Fund, while Ground Floor put over £5,000 in itself due to unforseen extra costs.
And now Mr Siddall is now calling on the public to support the centre both financially and by volunteering - to help ensure the Ground Floor - a charity itself - doesnt lose out.
Mr Siddall Said " I'd like to thank the European Union Key Fund and a special mention to the Duke of York who not only gave us the first ever Community Leadership Award but it came with £5,000.
"But this project has created financial problems for Ground Floor. We did appeal to Calderdale Council for funding for the floor which needed re-laying and the oven which condemned but they turned us down. I'm asking residents if they would become friends of the drop-in centre and donate £5 to replenish the funding loss. That will give them privaledgedprices when they use the cafe. We'd also be grateful if they would volunteer at the centre on an ad-hoc basis".
At the centre, not only will users be able to get a cup of tea for 25p and a hot meal for less than £2 they will be able to do job searches and update their CVs free of charge and get free advice and training. Mr Siddall expects the centre to help over 1,000 people in its first year.
To become a friend of the centre call in at the Ground Floor Project or contact 01422 844991.