A man leading a charity aimed at helping Nottingham's 'most vulnerable people' has shared his fears over its future. Joginder Singh, a co-founder of the charity located in Hyson Green, said he is now seeking legal advice after being asked to pay 'enormous' bills which he 'can't afford'.
The charity leader and three other co-founders of Karam Yog - known as the Nottingham Teaching College - have paid out of their own pockets for the £5,250 annual rent at the Hyson Green Community Centre in Gregory Boulevard. Mr Singh has previously shared his frustration after being asked to cover the running costs of the whole building - which the City Council said would be estimated at £60,000.
However, following discussions between the two parties, the city council has agreed to extend the lease until June. And the new offer means that Mr Singh will now have to pay more than £8,500 per quarter of a year - starting in April and ending in June, at the end of the academic year.
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"We have not got this money whatsoever", he told Nottinghamshire Live. "And it is an enormous pressure on us. I have never been in this situation before.
"We are looking for solicitors who could help us. It is a nightmare."
He now has until the beginning of April to decide whether he is ready to pay for the running costs of the building for three months. Mr Singh said he has been requested that the money should be paid upfront.
Mr Singh has previously told Nottinghamshire Live: "When I started this charity I was a young man - I spent a lifetime here. We are a small charity - and all the burden falls on the trustees. We offer service free of charge to the most vulnerable, no matter their background.
"We offer English courses, Maths and IT classes that are free of charge. We also offer courses for those immigrants who need to pass their Life in the UK exam."
He said all the courses are accredited by an examination board. "We have got people with low skills coming in, and we offer these courses to help them to integrate into the society. We have turned tens of thousands of people into teachers."
Around 2,500 people turn to the organisation for support every year. Mr Singh said people of 77 nationalities have been accessing their services over the years, including victims of domestic violence, immigrants seeking education, and unskilled people who received training.
A City Council spokesperson said: “We had a very positive meeting with representatives from the Nottingham Teaching College. We have agreed an extension to their tenancy, which officially expires this month, until the end of June to allow them to finish the academic year.
“This also gives them time to put together a submission for taking on a full lease which they now feel more assured they are in a position to do. Once submitted, we will consider it alongside any other applications, and will assess it against our criteria including financial sustainability and community outputs, which potentially could allow us to consider reducing rent levels.”
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