A PROTEST group has been set up to fight the proposed closure of the Douglas Arter Centre in Salisbury, which is home to nine severely disabled adults.

The Friends of the Douglas Arter Centre held its first meeting at Harnham Free Church on Saturday to start the campaign to keep the home, run by the mental health charity Scope, open for its vulnerable residents.

Scope wants to close the centre saying residential care homes are “old fashioned” and disabled people should have more choice about where they live.

But families with loved ones living at the Douglas Arter Centre in Odstock Road are distressed about the plans to close it, as there are few similar homes in the area and many of the residents are too severely disabled to move home.

They have teamed up with the parents affected by the recent decision to close the Hillcote respite home for disabled teenagers in Salisbury and want to work with the John McNeill Centre – a nursery for young children with special needs that has had its funding slashed by Wiltshire Council.

“It is the most vulnerable people in our society, the ones who need our help the most, who time and time again are being hit by these cuts,” said Merrin Holroyd from the group, whose husband Nick worked at the Douglas Arter Centre for seven years and has a disabled daughter and son.

“We are joining together to say it has to stop.”

Scope wants to close 10 residential care homes across the country, and the Salisbury group is also planning to link up with similar protest groups in other areas.

“We are aware of others in Northampton and Essex where people are very worried,” said Mrs Holroyd.

“These centres are people’s homes – no one wants them to shut.

“One man at the Douglas Arter Centre has lived there for 30 years; he doesn’t want to move.

“Scope says it is holding a consultation, but we are worried they have already made up their minds.

“That is why we need to fight this now and keep up the pressure.”

The group is being supported by Tom Corbin, Salisbury’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the Labour party, who was planning to raise the issue with Southampton MP John Denham during a planned visit to Salisbury yesterday.

Members are also considering petitions, awareness campaigns and a balloon release to gain more support.

The Douglas Arter Centre was opened by the Princess of Wales in 1984 and received a glowing report about the quality of care it offers from the Care Quality Commission last year.

A day centre on the site is set to remain open, but 39 staff working in the residential home could lose their jobs.

Jayne Kilgallen, Scope’s regional director, said: “We understand that the proposal to close the Douglas Arter Centre care home has caused a lot of concern for residents and their families.

“We are committed to supporting each person to understand what these proposals mean, to contribute to the consultation and then support them with independent advocacy. We want to work closely with staff, residents and families so that individuals can make the right choice for them.”