'We will be staying open' reassures Shoreham community group after closure fears

A Shoreham community group is reassuring residents that its doors will continue to be open following closure fears.
Chairman Ann Martin (front left) with members outside Milward Court in Shoreham. Photo by Kate ShemiltChairman Ann Martin (front left) with members outside Milward Court in Shoreham. Photo by Kate Shemilt
Chairman Ann Martin (front left) with members outside Milward Court in Shoreham. Photo by Kate Shemilt

Southlanders, which hire the community day centre at Milward Court in Wilmot Road, said last month it had been told by Southern Housing, the managing agent, to remove its belongings from the centre ‘due to fire risks’.

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Southern Housing said as part of its regular organisation-wide fire safety regulations review, it had ‘made some changes to safety processes’.

Chairman Ann Martin (front left) with members outside Milward Court in Shoreham. Photo by Kate ShemiltChairman Ann Martin (front left) with members outside Milward Court in Shoreham. Photo by Kate Shemilt
Chairman Ann Martin (front left) with members outside Milward Court in Shoreham. Photo by Kate Shemilt
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It asked everyone using the community day centre to adhere to the regulations set out in the fire safety risk assessments to ensure that ‘everyone is working and using our properties as safely as possible’.

This week, Ann Martin, chairman for the group, said: “We recently have had a lot of problems with storage facilities and there was a threat of us having to close down.

“We have had talks about it with other members of the committee and we are having another committee meeting to see if we can tackle the problem.

“But we want to reassure people that we will be staying open, despite the fact that we have to work on half of the things that we’ve been providing.”

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Ann said the group has conformed to all regulations Southern Housing has asked for. She added that a lot of the community had come forward asking them not to close.

“They use it as a vital source of information and link up with friends and other people,” said Ann.

“Some who come to the cafe do not have family and it is their only source of communication.”

Southlanders was set up in 2005, and has continued to grow into an active organisation working to bring people together in the community.

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