Renewed appeal for charity premises

A RENEWED appeal has been made for premises for a charity which looks after children with special needs.

Great Yarmouth and Waveney Contact may have to close after 20 years unless it can find a new home in time for September 2009 when the lease expires on its current home in Alpha Road, Gorleston.

Teresa Rawling, the charity's trustee, told the Mercury the charity had only been able to extend its existing lease until next year because the landowner Norfolk Property Services (NPS) is reviewing whether the Alpha Road building is fit for purpose.

The charity has been looking for a new home for five years but has not yet found anywhere to move into.

Contact has £130,000 funds available for a new building, including £20,000 from the National Lottery and currently employs 19 staff who cater for children aged between five and school leaving age with a range of conditions such as autism and Asperger Syndrome.

At one point, it looked likely to move into the former Boulton's building in North Quay, but the project fell through after partners pulled out of the project.

Then the organisation investigated the possibility of restoring St John's Church but the plan fell through again because of insufficient funds for the work required.

If Contact is forced to close, then with it will go the playschemes and respite care on Saturdays.

Lorraine Rollo, an NPS spokeswoman, said: “We have no plans to clear the site and are currently in discussion with Waveney Contact about the possibility of them purchasing part of the site so that they can remain there permanently.

“We did not extend their lease beyond 2009 because this building is one of many currently being reviewed to see whether it is fit for purpose. However, no decision has yet been made and we will be consulting with people before any decision is made.