Shock at 'sudden and devastating' collapse of regional trust |
The Lowestoft-based Access Community Trust has ceased trading and is believed to be about to enter administration.
Its staff have been made redundant, services have been shut, residents have been asked to leave a supported housing scheme while tenants have also been told to leave an assessment centre that provides support to those who may be rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping.
The trust and its directors have not responded to our calls for comment.
The charitable non-profit organisation employed more than 200 staff and volunteers in Norfolk and Suffolk as it worked across more than 20 hubs and communities.
A whistleblower told this newspaper that "the sudden and devastating collapse of Access Community Trust," comes as the 50-year-old charity has provided a lifeline to thousands of the region’s most vulnerable people.
An emergency all-staff meeting was held today (Wednesday) with the board of trustees.
The whistleblower said: "We were informed that the charity is ceasing to trade with immediate effect and entering administration.
"On our scheduled payday today, dozens of staff were told they will not be paid for their last month of work."
It has seen all steam house cafés that run across Gorleston, King’s Lynn, Ipswich, and Bury St Edmunds - providing vital high-street mental health drop-in support - close their doors today
Sam's Wellbeing Hub & Café in Lowestoft. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)
In Lowestoft the Sams wellbeing hub and café, the specialised dual diagnosis service, the Olive Centre in Clapham Road South and the SOLD (Special Objectives for the Local Disabled) studio at Harvest Drive on the South Lowestoft Industrial Estate have all closed.
The Olive Centre in Lowestoft. Picture: Access Community Trust (Image: Access Community Trust)
People have been asked to leave the Bridgeview Centre in Commercial Road, Lowestoft - which provides assessment centre provision in supporting those who may be rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping.
Residents have also been asked to leave the 19-room Fyffe Centre in Belvedere Road - a supported housing scheme in Lowestoft for people aged 18 and over with low/medium support needs - which was the trust's first-ever purpose-built hostel when it opened in 1980.
The Fyffe Centre on Belvedere Road, Lowestoft. Picture: Google Images (Image: Archant)
The whistleblower added: "While housing projects for the homeless may continue temporarily depending on contracts, hundreds of vulnerable people have effectively lost their support systems overnight.
"This is a catastrophic failure of a 50-year-old institution.
"We are calling for an immediate explanation from the board of trustees and asking local authorities what emergency measures are being taken to support the service users who will be in crisis due to this atrocity."
Access Community Trust also operates the Waveney Centre in Beccles, and the Island Café at the Venetian Waterways in Great Yarmouth, with further community hubs, groups and services running across Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Thetford, King's Lynn, Gorleston and Great Yarmouth in jeopardy.
The trust was formed in 1975 as it started out as a homeless night shelter in Lowestoft.
It has supported thousands of people with its vital services having grown significantly in scale since then.
The charity supports more than 200 people every night, 365 days a year, through a range of community hubs and dedicated initiatives.
Having marked half a century of providing vital services to the community last year, the organisation celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special gala event that highlighted "its unwavering commitment to addressing homelessness and supporting those at risk across the two counties."
Supporting people who may be homeless, vulnerable and those who are socially isolated, the charity said its "ethos and commitment" is "to supporting individuals to achieve their potential," which is "at the heart of everything we do across supported accommodation, mental health/wellbeing support and much more across Suffolk and Norfolk."