Information on Loughborough

Welcome House Funding

Posted on 08/10/2007
Loughborough Newsdesk

nicky morganNicky Morgan, Loughboroughs prospective Conservative MP, lately visited Welcome House Drop-in centre in Granby Street, Loughborough. 

Welcome House provides an unpretentious and sympathetic environment for people with mental health needs. The project also allows members to build upon their friendships, and mutually help each other. Welcome House is open for 16 hours per week but changes proposed by Leicestershire County Council in its Adult Mental Health Day Services Review could see this fall to 9 hours even though it is anticipated that services will be extended somewhere else in the County.

Nicky has an interest in mental health issues and spent time meeting the staff and those using Welcome House.  Following her visit she has written to the Review team responsible to convey her worry about the implication of the Day Services Review for Welcome House and its users.

Nicky told inLoughborough, "Those I met told me that Welcome House does a great job of ensuring that those in need get the support and contact which will make a real difference to the quality of their lives.  Welcome House is a place for service-users to learn social skills, share problems and increase their confidence. It offers an informal atmosphere and it is that informality which suits the service users very well and attracts them to the service.  If Welcome House was not available then the service users would probably not visit anywhere else making them more likely to wander the streets of Loughborough or just sit in their homes on their own " neither are healthy for the service users nor the community. Welcome House also offers very valuable respite for carers " they can relax for the hours Welcome House is open, knowing that their loved one is being looked after."

She added, "Loughborough needs this service.  Since we are the largest town in Leicestershire it does not seem to make much sense to dramatically change services here.  Could Welcome House act as hub if transport could be arranged for people travelling from outside the town?  I also believe in supporting voluntary organisations who are doing a good job and want to continue to provide such valuable services.  I will be watching the result of the consultation with great interest."