Talks are continuing over the future of Spalding’s Pennygate Foundation – a health and wellbeing centre said to be operating beyond its planning permission.
Brenda Wickham, who founded the centre, in Pennygate, with Dr Nathu, of the next door medical centre, said need for it is growing and wants people to know it is still up and running.
She said: “If we have made mistakes regarding planning it hasn’t been deliberate but we constantly have people coming through the door and think, if we weren’t here, where would they go?”
Planning permission was granted to allow the conversion of a semi-detached house to create the centre on a trial basis until October this year to allow the council to assess the impact on neighbours.
At the end of last year the foundation applied for retrospective planning permission for an additional outbuilding, but that was turned down.
Five objections were received from residents, with concerns the site is affecting the character and appearance of the area.
A planning officer reported the site was operating as a cafe with takeaway as its primary use, with ancillary uses as a care and wellbeing and community centre and should apply for change of use, which it may not get.
Mrs Wickham is now working with an advisor on a new planning application.
Meanwhile, she said the centre is keeping within opening hours it is restricted to under the original planning permission of, primarily, 10am to 4pm weekdays and 10am to noon Saturdays. But she said that is to the detriment of people who need its services outside of those times.
The cafe provides an informal entry point for people to access support and services as well as raising funds for the volunteer-run centre and getting meals to those who might not otherwise eat properly. The centre supports anyone in need whether it be through poverty, abuse, mental health crisis or any other problem.
Mrs Wickham said: “A lot of people don’t want to talk to their doctor so they don’t go anywhere, they just suffer in silence. They will come in here, have a cup of coffee and a chat and things come tumbling out.”
The centre delivers 40 meals on wheels per day and on Christmas Day served 180 meals, 80 of those free.
Former Conservative party leader Michael Howard visited the centre for breakfast on Monday with local general election candidate John Hayes.
