Funding for the Good Morning North West service in Galliagh has been pulled by Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie, who claimed the area wasn’t ‘deprived’ enough to warrant the cash.

The organisation, which employs around 26 people, helps 650 elderly people across the city by phoning them every day and doing handy jobs for them.

But it was revealed this week that funding would not be renewed, affecting the vital services and removing jobs.

The Minister, who has never visited Galliagh, said in a statement the DSD was “sharpening its focus” on the most deprived areas and that she was “simply not able to support every group seeking new funding.”

‘Conned’

Ollie Green, from GMNW, called the process a joke and said the Minister had done the Galliagh community a disservice.

He said: “We have been in contact with the Minister’s office and invited her to come to Galliagh to meet with the community organisation and discuss the crisis. We have stated very clearly that we believe that the minister has been completely misinformed about Galliagh.

“From what we can gather, the Minister appears to think that, in targetting most deprived areas, Galliagh does not require the support. People are shocked and stunned.”

Mr. Green said the service probably saved the Department of Health money by keeping people safe.

He added: “We are taking a very low volume of money. Last year we got £140,000. We are very much aware that there are other projects that don’t have as much impact as GMNW.”

One 67-year-old service-user, who didn’t want to be named, said hundreds of people were prepared to take the fight to Stormont.

She said: “We thought our days for protesting in the streets were over. We went through 34 years of it. I am on my own and they ring every morning to make sure I am OK.

“If they don’t get me, they would call my son who has a key and they would come and check on me. There are 650 of us. It is not just me.

“Two weeks ago there was a lady lying on the floor and they went round and they had to bust the door open and get her to hospital. We are all senior citizens and if we need any help, to get prescriptions or to leave the bins out, they help us out. We are going to have to protest; if needs be, we will go up on the bus.”