The Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Vince Maple, has commented following the closure of Medway charity, Gillingham Street Angels.
Cllr Maple, said: “I am saddened to hear the news that one of Medway’s valuable charities, Gillingham Street Angels, is set to close. The charity has no doubt supported thousands of residents over the years, from those on low incomes to people sleeping rough.
“The closure also sadly impacts the service Gillingham Street Angels had provided at our household waste and recycling centres, where residents could donate reusable items to the charity to be sold at an affordable price within its shops. This service is unfortunately no longer available, but we will explore if there are alternative options to provide a similar service in the future.
“In July, we renewed our cost of living plan to ensure our residents have access to up-to-date information. The plans sets out the wide range of support on offer directly from the council, as well as its partner agencies, all in one place. If you are struggling, please do see what support there is out there – these are incredibly challenging times for a lot of people and asking for a bit of help is perfectly ok. We are committed to doing everything we can to support our residents and we will continue to play our part to ensure people can access the help they need.
“I was pleased, along with Deputy Leader Teresa Murray, to meet with Tracey Errington, who stepped in as interim chief executive officer of Gillingham Street Angels earlier this year, and trustees to discuss the closure. We will do all we can to support Tracey and the team of volunteers who give up their time to selflessly help others, as well as our residents most in need.”