'He's absolutely lost': Mum devastated by service axe

Patricia said her son Colin "doesn't know what to do with himself" after learning of Workbridge's closure

A woman whose son has relied on a community service for 29 years described its closure as "horrific".

Workbridge in Northampton offers training sessions and work experience for people with mental illness, learning disabilities, autism or brain injuries.

Patricia May said her son Colin, who has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, is "absolutely lost" after learning of its closure.

The service, run by charity St Andrew's Healthcare, said the closure "is the only viable option" as it "continues to make a financial loss".

It said the closure would "enable the charity to focus its resources on delivering specialist hospital care for patients with complex mental health needs".

Ms May said her son has used the service since he was 18 years old and "lived for Workbridge".

"He used to do a lot down there; he's done pottery, woodwork, embroidery, and on a Monday, he'd be cooking," she said.

"The stuff they do with him is absolutely fantastic; the staff are like family, and he absolutely loves it down there.

"It's going to be very difficult for him going forward."

Patricia May said Colin has used Workbridge's services for 29 years, and during this time, had learnt pottery, woodwork and embroidery

Ms May, whose son is now 47 years old, said the service provided respite for her family, which they will no longer receive once it closes.

"He went three days a week and doesn't know what to do with himself now it's closing; all he's going to do is play on his phone and iPad, and that'll be it," she said.

"It gave us respite for three days, which sounds awful, but you need it when you've got somebody with learning difficulties.

"He won't go anywhere else, so he's just going to be sat at home."

'Show solidarity'

A petition calling for Workbridge to be saved was launched yesterday and has reached more than 2,000 signatures.

Angie Bruce, from Northampton, created it to bring "people's voices together in one place and show a bit of solidarity".

"I've never been a service user, I've just used the area for retail, so the café, the charity shop and the garden centre," she said.

"My hope for the petition was just to put everyone's voices together so people don't feel like their opinion and their experiences don't matter.

"It signifies the community aspect that we're set to miss in the first place if we lose Workbridge; it's pulling everyone together, and we all want the same thing.

"Where are these people going to get the quality of work experience that they've had that came with the cafe or the workshops? These people are now left with nothing."

Workbridge has been operating for 45 years and will remain open until 23 December

St Andrew's Healthcare said: "We have taken the difficult decision to close Workbridge in Northampton. This is part of a broader plan to ensure St Andrew's Healthcare remains financially sustainable and focused on delivering specialist care for patients with complex mental health needs.

"While Workbridge is closing, there are many opportunities for patients to take part in creative, educational and work-related activities, and we are working with our community learners to ensure they receive full support."

It added that it would honour current contracts for educational courses.

Workbridge has been operating for 45 years and will remain open until 23 December.

It comes after St Andrew's recently had its rating downgraded to "inadequate" by health inspectors at the Care Quality Commission and was the subject of a police investigation into an allegation of assault at one of its psychiatric hospitals.