New focus on ability centre

The committee of the Focus Centre in Livingstone Place, Galashiels, is looking into taking over the facility under the transfer asset scheme.

The plan would be to run the Focus Centre and the Ability Centre – which was opened in 1992 on a 25-year lease to offer help and social benefit to physically disabled people – within it, as one unit with two parts.

The Ability Centre’s lease is up on January 1. 2018, and Galashiels Community Council chair Judith Cleghorn – who was on the steering committee that set it up – says she wants it to return to its original use.

Mrs Cleghorn, who also chairs the Focus Centre committee, said at the community council meeting last Wednesday: “This facility is needed. We have many lonely, disabled people in our area, and I believe that the ability centre should remain for its original purpose.

“We have been speaking to various experts who will help us with our business plan.”