Disgust as Kirklees Council axes facilities for disabled

May 18 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Parents outraged by closure of Footprints on Market Street

PARENTS spoke of their outrage today after a Kirklees Council shock move to shut down a service for their disabled children.

Footprints, a printing firm and shop, on Market Street, has been closed down by the council – leaving many parents feeling let down by the local authority and wondering where their children will go now.

Before the closure, the shop was a place where adults with learning difficulties could meet friends and develop a work ethic and life-skills while under supervision.

The employees worked printing on T-shirts and other garments.

The shop won a small business award from Kirklees Council two years ago.

John Taylor, of Kirkburton, whose daughter Lisa worked there, told the Examiner he was ‘absolutely disgusted’.

He said: “I’ve very strong issues with the way the council have dealt with it.

“They had no consultation period and we were only given a week’s notice that the shop was closing.

“The Government have been going on about getting these sorts of people into work and giving them a sense of value.

“And they’ve closed a place where they were very, very happy.”

John’s daughter was on the waiting list to join Footprints for nearly two years before she was accepted on to the popular programme.

Footprints was part of Kirklees Adult Services.

Mum Nicola Ralph, of Meltham, said her son Andrew’s behaviour had ‘vastly improved’ while working at Footprints.

The cardiac physiologist said: “It’s really upsetting for them, it’s the way that they’ve done this – it was all so quick with hardly any notice.”