'My life is so much better because of this service – and Shropshire Council wants to end it'

A petition has been set up to try and save a ‘godsend’ adult day-care centre in Ludlow.

Shropshire Council launched a public consultation earlier this year on the future of adult care services in the county, setting out three proposals.

One was to cut the day service at Helena Lane in Hamlet Road, Ludlow, with the building remaining open for other services but day-care activities ceasing due to "low attendance and high costs".

The consultation has now ended and the council - which said no decisions have yet been taken on the centre's future - will now gather the feedback.

People who use the service are worried about its future.

"I'm 80 now and have very severe physical disabilities," said Marjorie Lawrence.

"The Helena Lane day-care service in Ludlow is my absolute lifeline.

"It provides me with social, physical, and emotional care - with friendship, with a hot meal, with help to have a bath, with support and advice when I need it.

"My life is so much better because of this service – and Shropshire Council proposes to end it."

Nino Binns, whose husband has dementia, said a four-hour slot one day a week at Helen Lane is a godsend.

"It means he has that routine of social contact in a safe environment – and I get a little bit of time for me," said Mrs Binns.

"I can’t begin to explain how important that is. Both of us would like him to attend Helena Lane for the three days a week they’re open – but they can't offer that because staff numbers have been cut."

Derek Young, who cares for his wife Jill, said Helena Lane was bequeathed to the elderly people of Ludlow.

"Shropshire Council have a duty of care for all residents of Shropshire, not just residents of Shrewsbury, and the taking away of Helena Lane will be a failure of their duty of care," he said.

"Closure of Helena Lane is a cost-cutting exercise by Shropshire Council and not the 'pproposed consultation and wider engagement on the future of in-house day services' that their original letter stated."

The chair of Shropshire Defend our NHS, Gill George, has set up a petition to try and save the service. She said the service has been left "hanging by a thread" with eight users, which demonstrates "low demand".

"What’s on offer when they close the service down?" asked Ms George. "Here’s one gem - 'individuals will have access to employment, supported work, and volunteering through partnerships like the Enable team’.

"That ‘get back to work’ theme is repeated again and again in their consultation material. Except getting back to work doesn’t really fit if you’re 80 and if you’ve really significant dementia or physical disabilities that mean you can’t stand up without help and you need support with almost every aspect of your personal care."