Maria Barnett, who has worked with adults with learning disabilities at the Ryefield Centre for many years, is using her redundancy money to set up a Day Centre in Ross-on-Wye.

Maria made an impassioned plea to Councillors at Ross Town Council meeting on Monday September 11th. She said that everyone seemed to be aware that children’s services could be moving from the Ryefield Centre but few people are aware of the impact that moving adult services will have. She said that adults with learning disabilities who have been users of the Centre for many years, some have been attending sessions there for decades, have been informed that they have to leave. She said Herefordshire Council have offered them alternative places at centres at various locations around the county but most want to access a service in Ross.

The Ross Gazette reported this in August when the family of one of the adults who use the Ryefield Centre, Sheena Canning, said how distressed she was at the thought of the service closing.

Several of the adults who attend the Ryefield Centre were with Maria at the Town Council meeting, including one young lady who was visibly distressed at the thought she would have to travel to Hereford.

Maria said that the services had been run by a charity which had pulled out and a new charitable trust, which was going to provide the services has decided not to stay in Ross-on-Wye. There are other centres in the county but Maria explained that many of the people who attend the centre are very distressed at the thought of having to attend other places.

Maria explained that the current provision will end soon and they have to be ready to go by November 1st. She said: “I had never thought I would one day run my own day centre but I feel this is something I have to do. I believe was can do better, we want a Ross based and community involved service.”

Councillor David Ravenscroft suggested that Maria attended the Town Council meeting as she had appealed to the Lions Club for funding. However, she explained that money is not the main issue. She said “What I need is advice and contacts.”

Together with two colleagues who have also been made redundant, Maria is planning to set up a Community Interest Company, and they will open their own day centre for adults with learning disabilities in Ross at premises they have located on the Wolf Business Park.

She told the Councillors that they need money but there is funding in place when their clients can move to them but more importantly they need equipment as most of the items used at the Ryefield Centre belong to Herefordshire Council.

Maria explained that the allotment is a very important aspect of the activities which take place at the Ryefield Centre, as well as cardmaking and table games which they will no longer have. However they do have a very large shed which they would really like to take to their new premises. They are appealing for anyone with a flat bed truck who could move the shed for them to come forward to offer to help. They also need furniture, Maria added:?“We need everything.”

The Town Council agreed that they would write to the County Council asking them to ensure a service could continue in Ross.

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