Charity say no need for base panic
Bosses of a charity for the blind have admitted the closure of their 150-year-old headquarters could happen in the long-term, but said no services would be affected.
The Northamptonshire Association for the Blind (NAB) announced in December they would be ceasing their daily activity services at Wardington Court in Welford Road.
John Wood, the general secretary, has now said the future of the expensive building itself is being carefully considered as one of several options to save the charity money.
He said: "We are doing some research into whether we'd actually be able to do the same things we are doing now - perhaps even more services than now - but from somewhere nearer the town centre.
"We are weighing up the pros and cons. We would be more accessible there but it's just one service at the moment that is changing and I can assure people that the others we provide will remain the same."
NAB has been based at Wardington Court, a former nursing home, since 1945.
Its 150-year-old age carries with it a bumper maintenance bill and its large rooms are expensive to heat.
A move by the charity to a town centre location is seen by trustees as an acceptable solution which could give more people access to services while cutting overheads.
In the meantime the building is hosting events such as conferences and wedding receptions to see if they can help fund the building. Other ideas that have been floated include inviting other voluntary organisations to share the building as tenants.
Whatever the final decision, a move would not happen this year and Mr Wood said the blind and partially-sighted people who live in flats near the main building would still have homes.
He said: "We're committed to providing accommodation, that won't change."
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