Equality and human rights group closing after 55 years in city
A CITY organisation which has helped victims of discrimination for more than 50 years is closing due to a lack of money.
The Council for Equality and Human Rights Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (CEHRNN), based in Lower Parliament Street, will close at the end of this month.
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Afzal Sadiq
The organisation – which was called the Nottingham and Notts Racial Equality Council until two years ago – has provided free legal advice and support to thousands of people across the city and county for the past 55 years.
Its £122,000 a year Nottingham City Council and £20,000 a year Notts County Council grants ended last April.
The organisation has already had to cut its four-strong team to just two, and has been existing on its financial reserves and a £56,000 grant from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which pays for a member of staff.
However, this grant alone is not enough to keep the organisation going.
Chief executive Afzal Sadiq said: "We are thinking at the moment that once we have paid all our liabilities we can leave with our heads held high.
"In three months time we could not do that. We would not have been able to pay the gas and electricity bill."
Mr Sadiq said the Council for Equality and Human Rights currently deals with around ten discrimination cases a week, but has had to start referring clients to the Nottingham Law Centre and Citizen's Advice Bureau to complete its caseload by the end of the month.
"Sometimes we get a spate of inquiries relating to immigration or housing matters, and more recently they've been linked to redundancies," he said. "It's been about the manner in which individuals have been made redundant. Some have said their employers left a redundancy letter by their computer and walked off."
Cheryl Weston, co-ordinator at the Nottingham Law Centre in Radford Road, Hyson Green, said: "It's a blow to the legal advice and support sector."
Gloria Powell, 47, has been receiving support from CEHRNN in her bid to move out of her flat in the Arboretum after becoming a victim of anti-social behaviour.
She said: "Its support has been invaluable to me.
"It's disgusting that this organisation has to close down. I don't think it will be fully missed until it's gone."
30 Comments
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by hyacinth, Beeston
Tuesday, March 22 2011, 5:22PM
“Oh dear, dear, dear , what a surprise !! perhaps it may have something to do with incompetent management ? or the systematic getting rid of staff who had worked there for years with good results, in order to employ " close " friends ? It's a shame that the powers that be didn't see what was happening earlier and replace " management " . It was pretty obvious what was going on and because of this the organisation was run down , losing valued ,capable staff, and therefore lost funding ! R.I.P CEHRNN , a good organisation lost through utter incompetence !!!”
by Dave, Broxtowe
Sunday, March 20 2011, 8:24PM
“Poor management and the bullying and harassment of experienced staff may have more have something to do with the loss of funding.”
by Dave, Broxtowe
Sunday, March 20 2011, 8:21PM
“Poor management and the bullying and harassment of long standing members of staff may have more to do with the withdrawal of funding.”
by Kaz, Mansfield
Thursday, March 17 2011, 8:55PM
“I'm off to chippy does anyone want anything bringing back”
by Kaz, Mansfield
Thursday, March 17 2011, 8:50PM
“These are very sad times that we are living in, what with what is happening in the Middle East, North Africa, Japan and now in Nottingham with this agency being closed. We should all be grateful however to the Royal family for giving us all something to look forward to. Thank you William and Kate and all the best for the future.”
by j, leic
Thursday, March 17 2011, 8:28PM
“"Even if they're a qualified solicitor, you'd think they would be happy to do it for £25k + disbursements"
Why do some think that people should be happy to do *worthy* jobs for less than the market rate (in this case more than half), yet it is accepted that *worthless* jobs (i.e. many in the private sector) should attract huge salaries. A bit topsy turvey, non?”
by j, leic
Thursday, March 17 2011, 8:27PM
“"Even if they're a qualified solicitor, you'd think they would be happy to do it for £25k + disbursements"
Why do some think that people should be happy to do *worthy* jobs for less than the market rate (in this case more than half), yet it is accepted that *worthless* jobs (i.e. many in the private sector) should attract huge salaries. A bit topsy turvey, non?”
by Andy, ncclols.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 17 2011, 7:31PM
“Worth remembering that Ahmed's decision to end CEHRNN's funding was greeted with glee by the fascist EDL. Might explain a few of the comments on here.”
by Another David, Notts
Thursday, March 17 2011, 5:51PM
“Good riddance.”
by John, Carlton
Thursday, March 17 2011, 5:35PM
“Good. £200,000 on this useless money pit is the tip of the iceberg.
There are literally thousands of these 'advice' centres up and down the country funded by public money. The country can save billions by refusing to fund them.
Note that they are referring their clients to the Nottingham Law Centre - yet another City Council funded waste of space.”