After years of fighting with Salford Council and Greater Manchester West Mental Health Trust (GMW) to save their drop-ins, mental health service users held two Christmas parties last week, complete with Father Christmas and his elves, to celebrate their achievements...
...What they didn't know was that behind their backs Salford Council had a secret Santa surprise for them – they were to be kicked out of Gladstone Road Community Centre, where they had held drop-in sessions since the summer of 2013 (see previous Salford Star article – click here), because the Council wanted to use it for youth activities.
This would have effectively left them with no premises for the drop-ins at a time when demand is increasing by the week. Furthermore, Salford Council didn't actually tell the service users of its intentions – they only found out after a leak from within the Council. And when word got out people who use the drop-ins were both sad and furious...
"People were very disappointed, upset, some close to tears" recalls Steve Cullen of United Service Users Committee (USUC) and CHUG "Most were saying `Why is it always the mental health services users that they keep attacking?'"
Even Start In Salford, which supports some of the sessions, called the move a `mini crisis'. Others went further...
"People were shocked and dismayed and this could have had massive, disastrous implications over Christmas when people need supporting more than ever" says a service user "It was a Scrooge-style secret present from Salford Council, intending to tell us we had to vacate our premises."
After service user reps got involved, negotiations with the Council and Start resulted in a stay of execution for the Gladstone Road groups for up to seven weeks after Christmas and a new venue for the drop-ins at Patricroft United Reformed Church.
"They are not going to start the school club now until mid term which is a mini victory" says Steve Cullen "At least we've got something to go back to after Christmas, and we've also now got the Church, which will mean extra sessions for six weeks.
"We just feel that the way Salford Council was trying to do this was under handed" he adds "If the information hadn't been leaked they wouldn't have told anyone until the last minute. It was just under handed tactics used yet again."
People with mental health issues seem to be fighting a constant battle with Salford Council and GMW over their services, when they have enough to cope with in their lives already...
The Scrooge secret Santa surprise was just another episode in an ongoing war against attacks from the Government, Council and Mental Health Trust that are supposed to be supporting them...
Photos by Phil Hamer
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