Review · Local Post
Families fear loss of lifeline charity over £75k shortfall Image caption, Megan Baker House provides specialist sessions for children and adults By Sophie Madden Reporting from in Ledbury Every week, Jan makes the journey from Gloucester to Herefordshire with her husband Colin. Living with Parkinson's disease and dementia, Colin attends specialist sessions that his wife believes help keep him active and independent. But the charity providing that support says it faces a £75,000 funding shortfall and must raise the money before the end of the year to avoid cutting services.
"The work they do in the session, we carry on at home to be able to help even more there," Jan said. "Without Megan Baker... Colin would probably be housebound." Image caption, Jan says her husband Colin, who has Parkinson's disease and dementia, would likely be housebound without the charity's support Colin is one of hundreds of people who rely on the specialist support for neurological and motor conditions from Megan Baker House.
Those who come travel from across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Shropshire for sessions. Now families and staff are backing an urgent appeal to secure the charity's future. Among them is Simon, whose 11-year-old son Ollie has attended sessions at Megan Baker House for years.
He said the support helped Ollie learn to walk at the age of four and has provided benefits beyond physical therapy. "It's not just the sessions and what Ollie gets from it, it's that sort of social network as well," he said. "Without Megan Baker House there's just no services available." Image caption, Simon says his son Ollie learned to walk at the age of four with support from the charity The charity, which has been operating from its Ledbury base for 24 years, says it needs to raise £75,000 before the end of the year to continue providing its current level of support.
Sue Mechan, head of client services, said losing services would be "terrible" for those who depend on them. "They really rely on it," she said. Development director Lee Gough added: "It would just break my heart to have to cut down the services.
"We can't cut the services, that's all there is to it." Image caption, Sue Mechan and Lee Gough say they are proud of the charity's work
Source: BBC
