A COOPERATIVE which offers work to disabled people is appealing for help from City of York Council so it can continue to operate in the city.

The York Disabled Workers Cooperative was set up with the help of the GMB and other trade unions in 2010, following the closure of Remploy York.

The not-for-profit enterprise, based at the Raylor Centre off James Street, makes garden furniture such as sheds, gates, seats, planters and fences, and also wildlife accommodation such as nesting boxes and bat boxes.

It also makes flags and banners for the trade union and labour movement.

Director Phil Davies wrote recently to all councillors to say the cooperative was ‘at a crossroads’ because of a lack of outside help, and might need to move to another area where it could get the help it needed.

He said it was having to turn some people away who could benefit.

“Last week we had to refuse a young own’s Syndrome person whose support worker wanted to place her for a few hours in our establishment,”he said. “It was not possible to help because of our lack of support.”

Mr Davies said only two councillors had replied to his letter, Mark Warters and council leader Ian Gillies. Cllr Warters said he was disgusted no one else had responded, and felt the council should support such a worthwhile enterprise, if not through a direct grant then at the very least by procuring its goods and allowing it to access waste timber from council tips.

He said he had spoken to the owner of a York nursery, who was willing to let the cooperative have room to set up a display and sell their wares, and he was also willing to speak to a builders merchants chain to see if it might do the same.

Cllr Gillies said he had met with cooperative staff and was impressed by the venture, and wanted the authority to do what it could to help. He said he had asked assistant director for adult social care Michael Melvin to discuss with staff how it might be supported.