Contact Centre Plea To Help Keep Doors Open
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 22nd September 2005.
A centre which promotes contact between absent parents and their children faces closure unless more volunteers step forward to help.
The Haverhill Contact Centre has been forced to suspend its operations and urgently needs to find more helpers to continue.
The High Street centre provides a premises where an absent parent can visit and meet their children when no other venue is convenient.
Volunteers are needed at the centre on a Saturday afternoon - not to supervise, just to be present in case of an emergency.
Over the past few months, the centre has been operating with just two volunteers who have manned it twice every month on a Saturday afternoon. But one of those volunteers is now no longer able to help and the centre cannot operate with just one person.
It will have to close unless more volunteers can be found.
Roy Withers, a solicitor and chairman of the centre's committee, said silicitors in Haverhill knew how important the centre was in helping clients to see their children on a regular basis.
"It is a great shame we find ourselves in this situation." he said.
"The centre has been in operation for over 10 years and it would be a great loss to the town and to local children with absent parents if it cannot continue.
The more volunteers that we have the easier it is to operate and the commitmetn from each volunteer is that much smaller. I hope there are people out there who can find the time to support us."
All volunteers must be police checked.
Anyone who can offer their time can contact the centre through the haverhill Citizens Advice Bureau on (01440) 704012
The Haverhill Contact Centre has been forced to suspend its operations and urgently needs to find more helpers to continue.
The High Street centre provides a premises where an absent parent can visit and meet their children when no other venue is convenient.
Volunteers are needed at the centre on a Saturday afternoon - not to supervise, just to be present in case of an emergency.
Over the past few months, the centre has been operating with just two volunteers who have manned it twice every month on a Saturday afternoon. But one of those volunteers is now no longer able to help and the centre cannot operate with just one person.
It will have to close unless more volunteers can be found.
Roy Withers, a solicitor and chairman of the centre's committee, said silicitors in Haverhill knew how important the centre was in helping clients to see their children on a regular basis.
"It is a great shame we find ourselves in this situation." he said.
"The centre has been in operation for over 10 years and it would be a great loss to the town and to local children with absent parents if it cannot continue.
The more volunteers that we have the easier it is to operate and the commitmetn from each volunteer is that much smaller. I hope there are people out there who can find the time to support us."
All volunteers must be police checked.
Anyone who can offer their time can contact the centre through the haverhill Citizens Advice Bureau on (01440) 704012
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