Jewish Care

Charities join forces to safeguard the future of valuable services for people with physical disabilities

The Burr Centre for Personal Development is relocating to Sinclair House Community Centre in Redbridge early next year, it was announced this week. The centre belongs to Jewish Blind & Disabled but is staffed and managed by Jewish Care – the charities have been working in partnership to run the project for the past six years. It is based at Aztec House in Tomswood Hill, Ilford.

The centre offers a range of facilities including computer training and arts and crafts for people with physical disabilities and vision impairments, both young and old. It is open four days a week and caters for the needs of around 50 centre members, also providing a hot kosher lunch.

Hazel Kaye, chief executive of Jewish Blind & Disabled, said: “The centre is no longer viable in its current form for a number of reasons and is running at an annual deficit of around £80,000. We are taking action in order to safeguard these valuable services and we are determined they should stay available to the local [Jewish] community. I am greatly relieved that a solution has been found.”

“Moving the centre to Sinclair House will enable us to concentrate on our core business and will free up space for us to create four new flats at Aztec House. This is good news at a time when waiting lists for sheltered accommodation are constantly growing.”

She added: “The service will still be funded by Jewish Blind & Disabled in conjunction with Jewish Care and real efforts will be made by both organisations to minimise the impact of the move on our clients.”

Neil Taylor, Jewish Care’s community services director, said: “We will be using one of Sinclair House’s ground floor rooms which will be adapted to its new use and we are also hoping to install a new computer suite. Burr Centre members will also be able to join in the day centre programme at Sinclair House, offering them a much wider choice of activities.

“This move is a good example of charities sharing resources and working together for the benefit of the community and both Jewish Care and Jewish Blind & Disabled are proud of the service delivered to our members.”