AS a parent who has two disabled children using the precious facilities at the threatened Re:d Centre in Bury, I am concerned at news that the council is to cut its spending on the centre by 50 per cent. This is totally unacceptable.

The council say they have overspent on their budget for children's services. Well, the centre has certainly stayed well

within its budget .

The centre is a lifeline, not just as a place where my two children can go and be accepted, but its presence has a knock-on beneficial effect on the rest of my family as it provides much-needed respite for myself and my husband and

son.I suggest the council review what schemes are actually working, rather than what looks good in their budgets.

Please come and visit the Re:d Centre and see the smiles it puts on the faces of all those who benefit. It is bad enough having to fight for our children's rights without then having it all taken away from us.

It seems ironic that only a few weeks ago I was fighting to save the special care baby unit at Fairfield and now it's the turn of the Re:d Centre. There is no other place in the area like it; it is not a place I ever thought I would need to use but I am very glad it is there.

So when the councillors are tucking their children up in bed tonight, perhaps they might think: there but for the grace of God . . .

PARENT