The Northern Ireland permanent secretary is being urged to save a Co Down cross community centre from being "decimated" by a major Stormont funding crisis.
Glebe House, a rural retreat in Kilclief has been providing support to all ages of the community since 1975 as well as a recent home for Ukrainian refugees.
However, key funding from the Northern Ireland Executive has now been withdrawn resulting in cross-community programmes being dramatically reduced.
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Downpatrick SDLP councillor, Conor Galbraith, bringing an emergency motion to the chamber, said: "Recent pressures on the Northern Ireland budget has directly impacted on the funding on Glebe House.
"Having 22 years experience as a youth worker, I have seen the positive impact places such as Glebe House have on people.
"Glebe House is a place where people have joined together with mutual respect,through positive and shared experiences.
"The council will write to the permanent secretary highlighting the impact of the funding cuts on the Glebe House staff and its programmes and the wider community."
Sinn Fein councillor, Oonagh Hanlon added: "It is a disgrace that we are having to bring an emergency motion about this issue.
"Funding should be secured and Glebe house should have been able to maintain its funding.
"We know the work that Glebe House does and we know the people that they employ, so it is going to have such a ripple effect right across the community and wider afield of many people from many different areas and strands of the community.
"When we are talking about positive, shared experiences being decimated, that is really worrying and I would encourage all in the council to support this motion and hopefully we will get some movement."
Alliance rep Cadogan Enright said: "On Thursday 6 July (2pm) there will be a meeting at Glebe House to discuss the current situation.
"I would ask all representatives and all party members to attend and offer their support to Glebe House, which has provided a tremendous service throughout the years to people in deprived communities."
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