1 day Ago By [email protected] (Katie Green)
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More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice Campaigners are rallying together to save a hub for people with learning disabilities in Peterborough . The Industrial Hub, based in Hampton, provides training opportunities and work experience for people with learning disabilities and autism. After Peterborough City Council announced in February it would be cutting its funding, families and service users were told it would close on June 16.
The hub has been based in Hampton since 2020 and has been running for around 30 years in Peterborough. It is overseen by City College Peterborough, and it encourages people to take in activities, including making woodwork items, crafts, painting and also gardening at its allotments. A petition campaigning against the closure, which has nearly 1,700 signatures, has been set up by Hayley Janceski, whose brother Richard, 41, attends.
She said the hub “supports some of the most vulnerable people in the community” and it needs to be saved. (Image: Cambridgeshire Live) Hayley added: “We are promoting other families and their loved ones. Since the announcement of the closure, Richard’s mental health has gone through the floor.
He can’t articulate his feelings very well and he is just broken. “This has also had an impact on our family, I have not slept in a week. The council has not considered the impact and we have been left to deal with the fallout.
” A peaceful protest was held on Wednesday (April 9) outside Peterborough Town Hall, giving people a chance to find out about the campaign and the hub. Service users, staff and campaigners were all there to try and gain more support for the cause. Curtis Mcllroy, who has been attending the hub for five years, said it “means a lot” to him and that it is like a “big family”.
He said: “I like it when they make projects, I help them to make stuff and I like doing it with everyone.” Curtis Mcllroy, who goes to the hub. (Image: Cambridgeshire Live) Richard was also shouting to passers-by to “save our hub”, which was the united message of the day.
Hayley’s daughter Lyla, 13, was there to support the cause that her uncle Richard adores very much. She said: “Every time I see him, he’s always talking so positively and telling people what he does. “When they said it was closing, he was crying a lot.
It’s such an amazing place and the support they are given is amazing. We are just trying to keep it open so these people don’t have to go to other provisions Support worker Tracey Tilbury was also there to support the hub, as a man she looked after called James, who has since died, used to attend it. She said: “James went there all the time, he was so proud to go there.
It is such a big place and I couldn’t believe when they told me it was closing, James would have been distraught. He went for a long time and it always gave him something to look forward to.” Hayley believes the closure will affect the people who attend it regularly.
She added: “I think it will affect them mentally, it is taking their happiness away from them.” Aleks Janceski (left) and his daughter Lyla (right) outside Peterborough Town Hall to support the fight. (Image: Cambridgeshire Live) The reason for its closure is due to “changes in funding”, said Tasha Dalton, principal at City College Peterborough.
She said: “City College Peterborough needs to streamline its services, which unfortunately means that operations at the Industrial Hub will be winding down over the next three months. “This will have an impact on staff, who entered into a consultation process on Monday, March 17. City College Peterborough will be looking at ways to incorporate the fantastic work achieved at the Hub into other areas.
However, the Hub itself will no longer operate from Hampton. "City College Peterborough are working closely with PCC to ensure that those who access our services have clear options moving forward, and people who use their services that will be affected by these changes have been communicated with." Stephen Taylor, executive director for adult services at Peterborough City Council said: “City College Peterborough (CCP) and Peterborough City Council (PCC) remain committed to providing good quality Day Opportunities for adults with learning difficulties, complex needs and autism across Peterborough.
Support worker Tracey Tilbury with other supporters outside Peterborough Town Hall (Image: Cambridgeshire Live) "A review with CCP’s dedicated and highly skilled staff is now taking place to look at the day opportunities - to see if it still meets the needs of users and if a different, more cost-effective model could be used that better reflects the modern world and our changing city. This review does not mean that day opportunities will cease, or that users will receive a lesser service.” Once these decisions have been made, the council will work with families, carers and community partners to “navigate the changes”, added Mr Taylor.
He said: “Any person who is affected by the changes to services will be supported to source alternative opportunities should they need to. "We remain fully committed to working together to protect and strengthen these essential services in the face of financial pressures and our priority remains working collaboratively to find solutions that put the needs of those we support at the forefront." Anyone who would like to sign the petition can find it by clicking here .
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