Appeal to Glenrothes residents to help save Forward Centre

Almost 1000 people have signed a petition calling for any plans to close the Forward Centre or reduce staffing to be scrapped.

The centre is currently open Monday to Friday, offering support to people between 16 and 65 with a range of disabilities, giving them a space to socialise.

Fife Health and Social Care Partnership say that discussions are ongoing and no decision has yet been made about the future of the Forward Centre.

Bill Middleton (80) whose wife Anne attended the centre for a number of years, is one of the many to have signed the petition.

He attended a meeting at the Forward Centre last week to hear about the proposals.

Mr Middleton said “people are scared and frightened” about the possible closure of the centre.

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He added: “They don’t know where to go.

“People are apprehensive. Some have little mobility – I don’t know how it will operate.”

Mr Middleton claims that the group were told at the meeting that, if the centre was to close, a facility in Kirkcaldy would be used to host the service instead.

Speaking about his own experience with the Forward Centre, he said: “It helped me tremendously. It was good for the both of us.

“Anne went there for a lot of years. She got the benefit of it. Why should other people not benefit from it. Something needs to be done.”

Julie Paterson, divisional general manager (Fife wide), Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Adult day services reshaped and modernised some years ago.

“This involved a shift away from building based day services to a more inclusive, community based approach. As a result of this shift, fewer people are now using these buildings.

“We are currently looking at the possibility of amalgamating buildings; this will have no impact on the number of days people access the service or the number of staff who provide support.

“The service is currently discussing the use of the Forward Centre building with staff, those who use day services and their families. No decision has been made to close the Forward Centre at this stage – discussions are ongoing.”

To sign the petition and help reach 1000 signatures, please click HERE.