APPEAL TO THE LB OF EALING APPEAL TO THE LB OF EALING The Centre for Armenian Information & Advice (CAIA) has 20 years of presence in LB of Ealing and unparalleled track record in providing vital, culturally sensitive and quality assured services for vulnerable older Armenians & their Carers. Despite this experience, expertise and additional Community resources/infrastructures in place, our Health & Social Care commissioning application was refused. (Just as the United Anglo Caribbean Lunch Club was) We believe that the objectives of our proposal were very clear and realistically budgeted and we dispute the scores and explanation given to us for refusing our application. It is our view that denying essential and specific funds to address the needs of vulnerable older people from the Armenian and Caribbean communities is neither equitable or a fair reflection of the diverse needs of older people living in LB of Ealing. The current uncertainty needs to be addressed urgently, otherwise significant number of vulnerable older people, many of them disabled and their carers will remain isolated and excluded, suffering in silence due to language difficulties in accessing basic statutory services, denied from the company of their peers and the twice weekly hot lunch which they have come to rely on. Where will they go now? Who will they turn to assist them in managing their day-to-day debts and other problems? Who will champion their needs/concerns when the CAIA is not resourced to do so any longer? It is not enough just to refuse funding without explaining in detail how the PCT/LBE will address the needs of vulnerable Armenian older people across all the range of their services. We appeal to you in the name of the 250 most vulnerable, frail and isolated older people (many of them the children of the orphans who survived the 1915 Armenian Genocide) who are directly effected and the other several hundred carers and relatives. Please consider seriously the impact of the decision not to fund our Day Centre/Project for the next three years. Yours sincerely
Misak Ohanian
31/1/2007 |
Registered Charity No. 1088534 |