Thousands protest over Stafford hostel closure

Lichfield House supports young people who are homeless or living in difficult circumstances and are motivated to move forward in their lives.

But the hostel, in Lovatt Street, is set to close down on April 1 as Staffordshire County Council will no longer continue to provide funding – leaving young people potentially on the streets and up to nine others out of work.

A petition has been set up by Gregg Jenkinson, who is living in Lichfield House.

The petition has prompted an encouraging response since it was started just over a week ago. Mr Jenkinson, aged 28, from Stafford, said: "The hostel helped me out when I had nowhere to go – they gave me a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in.

"The staff gave me support and got me back on my feet. Now I am in the process of starting my own business up. I could not have done this without the support the staff gave me while I was there."

Lichfield House has 12 rooms for vulnerable young people with nowhere to go and with no-one to help them.

The service offers advice and support to people aged 18 to 30 on a number of issues, including training, job-hunting, benefit claims, move-on accommodation and life skills.

Sara Beamand, director for care and support at Midland Heart, who run the service, said: "We have no alternative but to close the service at Lichfield House which offers supported accommodation for young people.

"We have a strong relationship with Stafford Borough Council, and we are working closely with them to help residents consider their future options and our own staff with their redeployment options."

Alan White, cabinet member for Health, Care and Wellbeing at Staffordshire County Council said that all providers were made aware of the changes to the supporting people funding back in June 2014.

He said: "We want Staffordshire to be a place where people are independent, resilient and can fulfil their potential, with the support they need to take control of their lives .

"That means looking at new ways of working, and joint working with partners, to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

"We carried out a review of the service two years ago which has seen us prioritise our resources into projects like the Troubled Families programme which prevent people falling into crisis and to intervene early to stop problems becoming worse.

"While the review has been challenging, the county council has managed the process as sensitively as possible and provider organisations were made aware of the decision in June 2014.

"We have worked closely with providers and partners at the earliest possible opportunity to better understand and where possible to minimise the impact of any proposed changes.

"Those people in substantial and critical need will of course receive the support they need, and we are making extra funding available to help 16 and 17-year-olds in crisis."

To sign the petition go to www.change.org and search 'Young people's hospice Stafford'