Pensioners' lifeline could close

620 pensioners get calls from Good Morning North West every day

A community project which works with pensioners in Londonderry is facing closure because its government funding is running out.

Good Morning North West - which is based in Fergleen Park in Galliagh - telephones more than 600 elderly people every day to check on their well-being.

Chief executive Brian O'Doherty warned 14 people will lose their jobs.

"This call is probably the only human being most of these people talk to on a regular basis," he said.

Mr O'Doherty said the impact on the pensioners who use the service would be "very severe".

"There are 14 jobs going, which is 14 individuals, 14 families, most of them are single parents, and as for the clients the service will technically close on 31 August."

He criticised the social development minister's decision not to renew the group's funding.

"Margaret Ritchie made this decision, and Margaret Ritchie is ultimately responsible for this decision.

"She's been badly briefed by her department in the north west development office if she thinks she's targeting resources at areas with high deprivation and Galliagh's not one of these areas," he said.

The DSD funding for Good Morning North West is to be diverted to a £60m fund which will be spent tackling deprivation in the most disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland.