STOP being silly and keep our services!

That was the message today from adults with disabilities who fear vital services to help them could be cut.

David Marshall and Diane Brooke both attend Highfields Day Centre and are among thousands of adults who need social care.

Around 10,000 Kirklees families or affected organisations have been sent questionnaires asking them what the impact would be if funding was to stop for services such as day care.

So the duo leapt into action and started a petition entitled ‘Save Our Services at Highfields – this is a petition to keep our day services open for everyone’.

In just one day they got more than 100 signatures.

David, 34, and Diane, 47, both rely on social care funding from Kirklees Council to fund the day care services and respite services.

Both pay £10.90 a day for transport to and from the Edgerton centre, for lunch and to access the services. They have to pay for extras like going swimming and on trips.

The cost increased last summer from £6.20 and both worry that if their funding gets cut, they’ll have to stop at home instead.

Diane, of Quarmby, attends five days a week and said: “I wanted to do a petition to show that we want to carry on coming here.

“I’d miss all my friends because I’d have to stay at home, I wouldn’t see anyone.”

Asked what her message would be to councillors who are yet to make a decision on adult social care funding, Diane added: “Just stop being silly and stop doing this to us, it isn’t fair.”

David, of Bradley, attends three days a week and added: “There is nowhere for us to go, there are no jobs we can do, this is all we’ve got.”

Both Diane and David are cared for by their mothers, Pat Brooke and Janet Marshall, who are both worried about the possible changes.

Pat said: “I don’t think the council realises the worry and stress this has caused.”

Janet added: “This doesn’t just affect the services users, it’s the parents as well and if it goes ahead I can only see it getting worse.”

Diane has access to 56 respite days a year while David gets two a month. They worry that if funding for day care services are cut, families like theirs may have to rely on costly respite care more.