New lifeline for FAITH garden centre

8:40am Monday 7th July 2008

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A garden centre that offers training for disabled people is to be saved from closure for at least six months.

Haringey Council has announced a rescue package of £125,000 to run the John Grooms FAITH Plant Centre in Wolves Lane, Wood Green, after charity Livability withdrew its £300,000 annual funding last month.

The Further Advance-ment in Training in Haringey, or FAITH, centre provides horticultural and retail training for people of all ages with learning difficulties, giving them the chance to work with nature and interact with customers.

The council says the money should plug the gap until more funding comes along but is only a short-term solution.

Council leader George Meehan, Labour, said: "It was very disappointing that the charity Livability decided to pull out of Wolves Lane and did not contact us earlier about its plans.

"It has left us with a difficult situation, which we have tried to address as quickly as possible - balancing the needs of those who work at and visit the site along with our res-ponsibilities to taxpayers.

"This package will give us time to see if the scheme can be kept running in the long term."

The council has contacted various organisations to seek help with the running and funding of the centre and discussions are ongoing.

"We can give no guarantees about the scheme beyond six months," Mr Meehan added.

"We don't want to raise people's hopes too much, but we obviously hope its future can be safeguarded beyond then."

Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Lynne Feather-stone and Lib Dem deputy leader Richard Wilson met council representatives this week to discuss plans for supporting the FAITH centre.

Ms Featherstone said: "Hoorah! I think Haringey Council was shocked by the strength of public and user feeling and the urgency with which action was needed.

"The council seems to recognise this is something worth saving. The real fight is to find long term funding and that is the challenge.

"So, rescued from the brink of disaster, but not home yet. There's lots of work to do."

Dave Webber, director of services for disabled adults at Livability, said: "The charity has spent nearly £900,000 in the last three years on FAITH and, with no major funders able to support the future work, the charity cannot continue to subsidise this service. It is disappointing for everyone connected with the centre."