Posted on Tuesday 28th February 2023
County Cllr Mark Deaville
Staffordshire County Council and the Tri Services centre in Newcastle are working together on proposals that could allow the charity to purchase their building.
Representatives from the county council and the veteran centre met on Monday 20 February to discuss progress on their plans and their fund raising efforts.
The centre, on Hassel Street in the town, is owned by the county council and has been home to the charity for seven years.
The group, who support serving and former serving members of the armed forces and their families in north Staffordshire, have the opportunity to purchase the building and have started a fundraising campaign to do so.
Mark Deaville, Cabinet Member for Commercial at the authority, said that he had very positive talks with the group and explained that the council were fully supportive of their fundraising efforts.
Mark said:
“We recognise and appreciate the valuable work that Tri Services centre do in the local community, and we are keen to find a solution which will give them the certainty they need for the future.
“They have done huge amounts of great work, making an unhabitable flood damaged property fit for purpose, but to be sustainable it needs long term investment that the current arrangements don’t allow.
“I met with the group and was impressed with their energy and fundraising efforts to date. I reminded the group that the county council would provide whatever support we could, along with helping them identify other sources of funding.
“I do hope the group are able to raise the necessary funds and look forward to their offer, which will mean they can continue their valuable work in the town.”
Geoff Harriman, Chairman of the Tri Services centre said:
“It was a very productive meeting with what we hope will be a satisfactory outcome for all concerned. We are grateful that Staffordshire County Council recognise the large amount of work we have done to the building and will support us in finding bids that we can access, to maintain sustainability of the building and to continue the valuable work we do, not only in the locality but in North Staffordshire as a whole.
“We will continue to have a massive push in fund raising, awareness and to raise the monetary funds to purchase the building.
“To help us, please visit our Facebook page and kindly donate. For every pound we raise, philanthropist John Caudwell has promised to match, for our cause.”
The county council continues to support its armed force communities and their families to make sure they have fair and equal access to both public and commercial services. Only last week, the authority joined with colleagues from the borough and district councils to re-sign the Staffordshire Armed Forces Covenant; a pledge to support all Staffordshire’s armed forces communities.