Henshaws Arts and crafts centre has been run successfully for nearly 20 years. It provides art making and other workshops for 170 plus disabled adults along with many staff and volunteers. It hosts many community events and fundraising events from the summer holidays urban beach to Bed fest and Art and crafts exhibitions. It's open to the public raising disability awareness and providing a positive beautiful inspirational place to visit plus great value food in their cafe and wonderful arts and crafts to buy.  Henshaws charity based in Manchester has decided to close the centre due to ongoing financial issues and covid19 impact. If anyone can work alongside disabled adults to ensure its a safe covid 19 environment it's the staff at the Art's and crafts centre. Let's save their skills and expertise. There is funding from social care to pay art maker's daily support fees/ costs even if the service user isn't attending due to covid 19. The arts and crafts centre in Knaresborough has changed adults lives transforming often shy unconfident disabled adults to confident committed art maker's who contribute to the community, work,  inspire others and show that disabled people can do anything. This petition is calling for Knaresborough art's and crafts centre to be saved from long term closure, and that the 170 disabled art maker's get their workplace back, their friends back and their lives back. Let's not loose staff skills and the most inspiring place to visit that Knaresborough and North Yorkshire have. My daughter has always wanted to work there- she says its her second family and when we visit everyone remembers her. It's the one place we visit that she feels positive about being disabled . Let's ensure that covid 19 does not destroy any more lives or future lives. Please sign and share

Thank you x