Charity’s desperate plea for volunteers
ACHARITY that helps more than 100 disabled people access stores across Stockport town centre is on the brink of closure and desperately needs volunteers.
Shopmobility, based at Merseyway, provides scooters, wheelchairs and sighted guides for visitors to the area.
But funding cuts mean it had to make three staff redundant last year. One returned as a full time volunteer but has had to find work, leaving just two behind.
This has left the charity struggling to meet its clients when they arrive on public transport as they visit the town centre and to answer phone calls.
And if at least two volunteers are not found, bosses say Shopmobility could close within a month.
Trustee Stephanie Ormerod said: “We have been in dire straights for the last two months, we have tried and tried to get volunteers to do the meet and greet and man the phones.
“We are at our wits end, we are facing closure. It is heartbreaking, people with mobility problems wouldn’t be able to shop in Stockport.
“We have had some of our members in tears, it is well known that if you can’t socialise and get out of the house that can lead to depression, loneliness and all sorts of mental health problems.”
The charity was set up 20 years ago and got into financial difficulties a couple of years ago when it lost its annual £35,000 council funding.
It has already cut its hours from six days a week from 9am to 5pm to just Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Other than donations and fundraisers, revenue now only comes from annual membership fees of £20 and hiring out vehicles such as mobility scooters for £5 for up to four days.
It has set up a gift shop, which opened last year, but even this was hit by problems as the premises, on Great Underbank were hit by floods last summer.
The shop, funded by a one-off grant, is currently breaking even and it is hoped it will eventually become profitable – especially as it is planned to open a cafe there too.
Stephanie added: “Unless we can get volunteers, particularly for Saturday, closure is imminent. It is a real struggle.”
Anyone who would like to volunteer can call Shopmobility on 486 1337 or 285 6363.