There’s still hope for Meltham’s YBS branch

Emma Greenough (second left), of the Welcome Centre, takes delivery of the food and toiletries from Sadeh Lok staff (from left) Caroline Wangai, Hussain Brook and Bushra Nazir proposal of the Meltham branch closure as none of the other branch closures had caused the same stir or publicity.

“Although they’ve been receiving copies of the petition along the way, I handed them the original containing 676 names and also a letter of support from our MP, Thelma Walker. They emphasised this closure was still a ‘proposal’ and nothing was set in stone. In mid January they are going to hold a meeting to discuss ‘counter proposals.’

There were discussions and negotiations regarding the staff and KIND-HEARTED staff at a Huddersfield-based housing association pulled out all the stops to donate five big boxes of food and toiletries to a local foodbank charity.

Edgerton-based Sadeh Lok delivered the goodies to staff and volunteers at the Welcome Centre in Lord Street in Huddersfield town centre.

The centre has been giving out more than 200 packs of food a week to households in South Kirklees.

Hussain Brook, head of Sadeh Lok, said: “I would like to thank staff who have given so generously to help those in real need.

“These donations will support the invaluable work of everyone at the Welcome Centre at a time relocating them in other positions. I do not know what will happen, whether they will change their minds, but we had to make a stand.”

Pam has stressed to the building society that Meltham is a small town with a population of 8,500 to 9,000, mostly elderly people and many with disabilities not able to drive and finding it difficult to travel by public transport.

It could take them a three-hour round trip to get to the branches in the Colne and Holme Valleys by bus.

Pam has been inspired to pen a poem to Yorkshire Building Society chief executive Mike Regnier which states:

You obviously Meltham With its people so friendly to meet. Have you actually looked at the town itself, Got yourself up off your seat? It’s a great, not too big a town, Small businesses all a success, But now, without coming to meet us, You are closing our YBS. If you do that there’s no way of banking,

Of drawing our pensions and such. when demand is at its highest. Hopefully, our contribution will bring some comfort to those households who have no other choice but to turn to this lifeline.”

Emma Greenough, marketing and fundraising worker at the Welcome Centre, said: “With demand on our services rising more and more, we rely on the support of businesses, communities and the public. Everyone at the Welcome Centre appreciates the fantastic donations made by Sadeh Lok.”

In addition to giving the food items, earlier this month Sadeh Lok made a £500 donation to the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice at Bradley.

If you think we’ll go travelling for service,

Then you don’t really know us so much.

You’ll leave us with salons for beauty Or another place that does nails, Or maybe another takeaway, That’s if all else fails. So please do not close Meltham branch, The staff are so helpful and kind, And none of the other ‘near’ branches Are so easy to get to we find. The buses are one every hour, It’s not easy to park a car. In Meltham, the car park is large and free

And you don’t have to walk very far. The people who signed our petition Feel strongly about what you do, So why not come and meet us, We would really love to meet you. If you close down the branch in Meltham

We will take somewhere else.

Our loyalties Meltham branch,

Not just any old YBS.