Volunteer Centre Eden office closure

9:55am Thursday 9th October 2008

The closure of a Volunteer Centre Eden office has come as “sad news” to many members of the community.

After only a year since it expanded its services with the launch of the Time Banking scheme and opened a new shop-front office, a shortage in grants and financial support has forced the centre to close its Appleby office.

At a meeting of Kirkby Stephen town council on Tuesday (October 7), chair, Alex Birtles, said that it was “very sad news indeed.”

He said: “The volunteer centre has worked tirelessly for the last 28 years for the improvement of life in the district, but particularly in the Upper Eden valley. It is very sad to learn of its immediate closure.

“We will do all we can as a town council and as part of the management group of the community and council centre to ensure its record of encouraging volunteering continues.”

In a letter read to the council, the former Volunteer Bureau Eden said, “Despite a considerable number of applications for a variety of funding, the centre has only been able to secure limited project funding recently.”

It continued, “The inability to attract any core funding has meant the centre is no longer able to fulfil either the standard that accredited membership of Volunteering England, their national association requires or the standard that the centre has become recognised for.”

However, the centre plans to set up a steering group to establish an independent Time Bank association in Eden in the future “if funding can be secured.”

Coun Birtles said that should this arise, the town council would offer their support and a place to work from in the community and council centre.

Drop-in sessions for the Upper Eden Time Bank are continuing during October in Kirkby Stephen Community and Council Centre and at Centre 67, Chapel Street, Appleby.

For details contact centre manager, Alex Chalmers on 07800 843455 or Kirkby Stephen Community and Council Centre on 017683 71325.