Nottingham's Skylarks centre closes
A respite centre based in Nottingham has permanently closed. Vitalise Skylarks, part of the Vitalise group which provides breaks for disabled people and carers, said it was making the closure “for the sake of the future of the charity as a whole”.
The centre had been open for 30 years, and employed 41 people.
Vitalise, which has centres in Cornwall, Southampton, Essex and Southport, made the announcement following the temporary closure of the West Bridgford site in July.
Vitalise says it is “looking into ways of supporting all the guests, volunteers and supporters from the region” who have been affected by the closure.
The Skylarks centre was temporarily closed on 3 July, with a view to reopening on 4 September. However, the charity said after considering “a number of factors”, it had “no other option” but to close the site permanently.
Neil McConachie, chief executive of Vitalise, said it was “one of the most difficult decisions Vitalise has ever had to make”.
He said: “While we have regrettably not been able to achieve a sustainable future for Skylarks, we would welcome any proposals from individuals or organisations with this aim in mind and would assist them in any way we can to achieve it.
“Our fondest hope has always been that Skylarks can continue providing much needed breaks for disabled people and carers – the purpose for which it was built.”
