Source: Bournemouth Daily Echo
A BOURNEMOUTH charity that supports people with mental illness says its future is under threat due to a lack of funding. Cherry Tree Nursery has been providing sheltered work opportunities and additional support services for the last 25 years. Now it’s calling upon individuals and organisations to help sustain it for another quarter of a century. Staff at the nursery, which is located off New Road Roundabout, say it’s struggling to stay afloat due to repeated cuts in funding and the current economic climate.
Project manager Jess Davies said: “On average, a place at Cherry Tree costs only £25 per week. But as our numbers still continue to grow, we need to ask for help so that we can move safely in to the future.”
Now she is hoping individuals and organisations will support its latest drive to bring in funds.
She said: “We are asking people and organisations to become our 25th anniversary supporters, whether through a one-off donation, or a regular contribution.
“We hope that local groups and businesses may consider making us one of their charities of the year.”
The appeal has been launched just one month after charity tins and money from a cash box was stolen from the nursery last month.
The charity has around 170 volunteers who say it is a “lifeline” for them.
One volunteer said: “When people come here they are like shadows. Cherry Tree waves its magic wand and gradually they come back to life. I know this is true because I am one of them.”. The nursery started off on disused land belonging to Bournemouth Borough Council with four volunteers, one member of staff and a dog.
Throughout its 25 years of existence it has won numerous awards including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee award, Wessex Charity of the Year, the Nationwide award for Voluntary Endeavour and the Schizophrenia Reintegration award. It’s now used by scores of volunteers each year and produces hundreds of thousands of plants which are sold from the premises.
The volunteers can also attend literacy, numeracy and IT classes as well as being supported to access advice from Citizens’ Advice Bureau experts.