City MP pledges support for Wakefield's voluntary sector

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh pledged to support the district’s cash strapped voluntary groups in Parliament on 26 January. Mary met with representatives from Voluntary Action Wakefield District (VAWD) and Wakefield Samaritans to discuss how to respond to the Tory led government’s funding cuts.

Charity and voluntary sector leaders across the UK are warning their organisations are facing bankruptcy because Government cuts will leave a £5bn funding black hole in the voluntary sector over the next four years. Mary Creagh pledged to do what she can to help community groups in Wakefield and agreed to deliver a letter from VAWD to the Prime Minister.

Mary said “I was pleased to meet with VAWD and the Wakefield Samaritans this week. The voluntary sector faces considerable challenges going forward, and I will do what I can to help protect and maintain voluntary services in our community."

VAWD board member Nesar Rafiq said “Government funding cuts mean that we are having to make cut backs to the vital services we offer in Wakefield. Many local grass roots level voluntary community groups who rely on the services we’ve been providing for over fifty years will be fearing for their future. Wakefield is at risk of losing many of its voluntary and community groups and we’ll be writing to the Prime Minister to tell him about the impact of the cuts in our area. Unlike the “Bankers” we are not able to offer the citizens of Wakefield a bonus but rather a cut back in the support that it is able to provide them at this time of economic uncertainty.”