An online petition to save the House has received more than 6000 signatures in its first 24 hours
More than 6000 people have signed a petition to save a children's cancer home from the axe. A huge public backlash has greeted CLIC Sargent's announcement that they plan to shut Malcolm Sargent House in Prestwick.
In just 24 hours a social media campaign to shame charity bosses into a climbdown has gone viral with over 6,000 people signing the petition.
The petition praises the "invaluable" work of the seaside respite home which was opened in 1989 by Princess Diana.
Author of the petition Siobhian Brown adds
"This wonderful place should not be shut down and endeavours to save it by different avenues should be thoroughly investigated. CLIC bosses stunned staff at the House on Monday by revealing their proposals to close. A 30 day consultation process is now underway.
Ellen Finlayson, assistant director at CLIC said
"The holiday service at Malcolm Sargent House, whilst of excellent quality and highly valued, reaches a small number of young cancer patients and families in a limited geographical area."
She added: "We need to look at the 6600 people UK-wide and target frontline services and not the five per cent we serve at Malcolm Sargent House."
But one House volunteer, who asked not to be named, said: "The national charity is asset stripping and clearly they see the Prestwick house as an easy target.
“Nobody up here saw this coming and it has left everyone numb.”
We will keep you updated with the latest developments on this story.
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