West Norfolk service gets £17k boost – but it's not enough
WEST Norfolk Disability Information Service (WNDiS) is celebrating after receiving a major grant boost which will help it continue its crucial role in the community.
The Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales will be donating 17,748 to the Lynn-based service over three years through its community open programme.
But WNDiS still faces a 7,000 annual shortfall, which means the level of service will be reduced from four days a week to three from the autumn, unless additional funding can be found.
Manager Jonathan Toye said: "The funding means we can carry on with the service. We are grateful to both the Lloyds TSB Foundation and Norfolk Primary Care Trust (PCT), whose funding has enabled us to stay open.
"However, we are sadly going to have to reduce our support but we need just 7,000 a year to keep the service at four days per week.
"Ideally we would like to expand the service by getting more funding and employing more people so we can offer better support."
Earlier this year WNDiS had its funding from the PCT cut by 50 per cent – a drop from 26,000 to 13,000 – which led to concerns about job losses and service cuts. An immediate search for alternative income was launched, with applications made to 16 possible funding bodies.
The money from Lloyds TSB will help cover core salary costs for the service, which was launched in 1999 and is now used by 700 disabled people in West Norfolk every year.
WNDiS started as a telephone information line but has since been extended to include advocacy, outreach work, disability access audits for local businesses and organisations and disability equality training.
Mr Toye is also appealing for more volunteers to come forward. He said: "Volunteers are always needed to do things ranging from answering the phones to keeping up to date with information and data in the office.
"There are all sorts of things they can do and when volunteers come in we play to their strengths.
"A lot of people come to use us for work experience or are disabled people who want to find out if they can consider returning to work."
Anyone interested in volunteering, or who can help bridge the funding gap, contact Mr Toye on 01553 776177.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
