Cafe employing disabled people in Grays forced to close (From Thurrock Gazette)

Cafe employing disabled people in Grays forced to close

12:00pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Emma Thomas

A CAFE employing disabled people will be forced to close because it has lost funding.

For the last three and a half years, Cafe4U has been running from the Thameside Complex in Grays.

The centre gives somewhere for people to have a cup of tea and a chat as well as training people with learning disabilities.

Since it opened, the charity has been able to offer more than 50 people with disabilities volunteering opportunities and the chance to learn new skills through the project.

However, BATIAS, which runs the cafe, has lost its funding from various sources and its income is not enough to keep it going. As a result, the cafe will be forced to close on Friday, March 29.

A spokesman from the BATIAS board of trustees said: “We have been unable to secure further funding to fund the cafe project and support its overheads.

“Clearly this decision was not taken lightly as the trustees recognised the hard work that the BATIAS staff and volunteers have given in maintaining and developing the project.

“They are also appreciative of the PCT, Thurrock Council, Lloyds TSB Foundation and the local community for their support during the past three and a half years.

“Unfortunately even if funds were found at this late stage, the trustees would not look at keeping the café open beyond March 29 as key business planning would need to be undertaken to ensure its long term viability.”