Down in the dumps
VOLUNTEERS at a Newton Stewart charity, some with learning and physical disabilities, worked in conditions akin to "a concentration camp", it was claimed this week.
The unpaid helpers on The Furniture Project, some of whom worked 30 hours a week in temperatures of -12 without water, heating or proper equipment, are now raising a petition to save the scheme and have challenged the charity's board of directors to a public meeting in Newton Stewart.
Project director Paul Smith told the Galloway Gazette two weeks ago that the Newton Stewart operation would be closing down due to "financial restraints" but continue to operate from Stranraer.
The charity was set up in 1998 to help disadvantaged people in Stranraer and Newton Stewart by providing cheap reconditioned furniture and electrical goods.
In 2004 the charity was awarded the Scottish Enterprise Social Enterprise Award and went on to become the seventh best 'Business in the Community' in Scotland.
Its website claims the project is working towards an Investors in People award in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise by "putting people first in our business".
However, one volunteer told the Gazette that even though the charity obtains the furniture for free from the public it now charges prices unaffordable for the people who are supposed to be helped.
John McCleary, who has worked on the project for two years, said some items could be bought cheaper in high street stores.
"We get everything for free," said 64-year-old Mr McCleary, "but the prices have gone through the roof now. There was a young lady who came to us recently looking for a suite but we were charging 100 and she was heartbroken.
"She just could not afford it."
According to Mr McCleary, while the project is charging higher prices for the items, they were not reconditioned.
He also said that one volunteer with learning and physical disabilities, was asked to work with a small "kindling axe" to break up unusable furniture, a task which "took him days".
Mr McCleary said the project charged for clearing houses and "disposal" but the items had never been taken to recycling centres, they were left in the charity's premises at Newton Stewart.
And he claimed that the board of the charity had decided five months ago at a meeting in a Girvan hotel to borrow 250,000 from the Bank of Scotland to finance a move to Stranraer.
"The poverty I have seen in Whithorn and Wigtownshire is unbelievable and to take this away from people is really going to hurt them," said Mr McCleary.
"The prices are going up by 15 per cent and they are going to put delivery charges on. There are no repairs or refurbishment, they are just cleaned up.
"Conditions in the Newton Stewart premises are pretty grim and have been like that for the past five months. There's no heating, the main window was smashed on Christmas Eve and is still boarded up. The broken plate glass is still inside the building and four people with learning difficulties have to work in there. It was so bad the community service people would not go in.
"Our manager in Newton Stewart, Dennis Smith, has really tried to help us but they won't help him
"We think it is getting away from what it was set up for, they are overcharging for all the stuff, it's a shame. For the past five months nothing has been removed to the dump and they are still charging people 7 for 'disposal'."
Receptionist Eilif Gustafson said: "I am rarely without work to do either in terms of sales, booking in times for the collection of donations or processing newly donated stock, such is the sheer demand of the services we provide."
The petition has received around 600 signatures already and the group says it is planning to set up a new furniture project in Newton Stewart called Second Chance and are looking for suitable premises.
Councillor Alistair Geddes said: "I have been approached by certain of the workforce to ask if I would meet with them to hear their concerns. I have agreed to do so with a meeting scheduled for Monday with Harry Hay, the council's area manager and representatives of the workforce."
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Weather for Newton Stewart
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
