'Very sad day' as centre closes, says sister

Jean Cross, whose brother Robert Mason has attended the centre for 44 years, said she had been "his voice" in her bid to keep it open

A woman who fought for a day centre attended by her brother to remain open said its closure marked a "very, very sad day".

Jean Cross said her brother Robert Mason, who needs 24-hour care, had been going to Harborne Day Centre in Birmingham for 44 years, since he was 19. It closed on Monday afternoon, and he will now attend an alternative site.

She said the centre, which was earmarked for closure along with three others as part of the city council's budget-saving measures, had been a "lifeline" for families.

A council spokesperson said attendance at their day centres had "reduced significantly", and most were about half full. It added people could still go to five remaining centres.

'Quality of life'

In February 2024, the council agreed to save £1.95m for 2024-25 and £3.35m in 2025-26 against nine day centres in the city.

Ms Cross told BBC Radio WM she was among five families who had "stood their ground from the start" against the closures, and they stayed at Harborne Day Centre throughout Monday to mark its end.

The other centres to close permanently on the same day were Beeches GOLDD, Fairway, and Heartlands.

Among carers opposed to the move at Harborne was an 87-year-old woman who still cared for her daughter, she said.

Ms Cross, of Edgbaston, described the mood there as "very solemn".

"It's a very upsetting day," she said.

"I've had no sleep all night, to be honest, and my stomach is really churning, and it's a very, very sad day."

"Robert has all his friends here, and they are all being split up between different day centres," she said.

However, she added at least five friends had managed to change to Hockley Day Centre with him.

Ms Cross is Mr Mason's sole carer and said Harborne Day Centre, which he attended five days a week, gave him a "better quality of life", and he enjoyed activities and being taken out.

It also gave her some respite from full-time caring duties.

"He is non-verbal, so I have had to be his voice, basically," she said of her fight.

Because her brother was non-verbal, she did not know whether he would be initially stressed by his new surroundings.

Ms Cross added for six weeks, he had been going to the Hockley centre once a week to get used to it.

And some staff, including his key worker, were also moving there.

Rob Pocock, acting cabinet member for health and social care at Birmingham City Council, previously said: "Many councils no longer run in-house day centres, so I am pleased we have still found the money to keep five going across the city.

"But we do need to save on costs, and the remaining centres do need to be fully utilised."

Anyone requiring a council day centre could do so, and no staff were being made redundant, he said.

Mr Pocock added: "I do understand that people will have an attachment to the day centre that they usually attend, but unfortunately our centres have a low attendance rate, with most only around half full."