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Press Release
COMPAID Trust 6 September 2005
Disabled adults in the community have heard the heart-breaking news that unless help can be found they may no longer have access to vital services provided by well-known local charity, COMPAID Trust.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells N.H.S. Trust has said that it will be unable to accommodate COMPAID on the Pembury Hospital site when the development of the new hospital begins next year. The charity has been operating from premises provided by the hospital authorities for the past 18 years.
COMPAID’s Chief Executive, Betty Howell, was informed of the Hospital Trust’s decision on the 19th August. Mrs Howell, speaking on behalf of the charity’s Trustees, staff and clients, said: “We are devastated by this news because on 14th April a senior representative of the Hospital Trust wrote to me about COMPAID’s future during and after the development of the hospital site. The letter stated that (quote) ‘..the Trust has made a commitment to ensure the availability of a suitable area on site for COMPAID Trust.’
Mrs Howell continued: “To coincide with our 20th anniversary in 2006 we had been planning to launch a capital appeal with the aim of acquiring our own premises on the Pembury site, but this change of heart by the Hospital Trust places us at a considerable disadvantage in terms of time and finance. Whilst we continue to work with representatives of the Hospital Trust to resolve this problem, the delay since the 14th April has lost the charity considerable opportunities to organise the raising of funds and there is a strong likelihood that without outside help we will have to close”.
“COMPAID has been helping people for nearly 20 years, offering computer aid to speech impaired and disabled adults and also providing vital special needs transport to the local community. On average we assist 475 people a week, now we need help to find suitable premises locally to ensure this valuable service continues. Time is short and our clients need to know their future is safe”.
For more information and offers of help, advice and funding please contact Betty Howell at COMPAID Trust on 01892 824060 or visit www.compaidtrust.org.uk