A mum who helped found the Rhys Jones Community Centre has criticised Liverpool City Council for not supporting them financially.
Liverpool schoolboy Rhys was shot dead after playing football with friends by gun thug Sean Mercer in August 2007.
The community centre was set up as both a memorial to Rhys and to help young people in the Croxteth area.
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She spoke out after the ECHO recently revealed large payments from the council to Alt Valley Community Trust in Croxteth.
AVCT received £2,231,065.00 from 2013 to 2020. The largest single payment was for over £600,000 in 2018.
AVCT said the money was used to pay for community-based activities and services.
Karen Harper, who helped set up the Rhys Centre, has told the ECHO of her frustration with Liverpool Council.
She said: "We have seen the stories about the funding to a nearby organisation and are shocked. We would have been happy with a fraction of those funds. We get nothing."
The Rhys Jones Centre opened in 2013 after a successful fundraising campaign. Liverpool Council donated £125,000 and Persimmon Homes matched the amount.
Karen said: "The council funding soon dried up and we just feel forgotten. We have been told that because we rent the building at a peppercorn rate, we can't expect funding too.
"But some of the recent stories about funding to nearby organisations have raised many questions.
"We are responsible for all the on site maintenance from repairs to grass cutting.
"I am in the process of applying for two Mayoral Neighbourhood Funding (MNF) applications at this moment in time to help to run a friendship group for our elder residents."
The ECHO understands that MNF is distributed by local councillors.
Karen told the ECHO that last year two local ward councillors helped the centre receive £1,500 from the New Beginnings Improving Lives fund to help them buy food containers during the pandemic.
Information on the Charity Commission website has revealed that the Rhys Jones centre did not receive any income from Liverpool Council over the last two years. The website does not have records beyond the last two years.
Their total gross income for the last financial year was £31,000 and their expenditure was £39,000. During the previous year their total gross income was £75,000 and their expenditure was £55,000.
Karen said that the sense of goodwill held toward the centre appears to diminished over recent years.
She said: "When we opened everyone seemed to be interested, but not anymore.
"We feel we are on a hand to mouth existence and have few friends.
"To be frank we feel betrayed and let down."
Cllr Jane Corbett, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, said: "The council is currently reviewing the way we distribute our discretionary grants to community and voluntary sector group across the city; we need to ensure this is done with fairness and transparency."
Established in 1988, AVCT describes itself as a social enterprise dedicated to improving the lives of people in north east Liverpool.
It offers support to business start-ups in the Croxteth area, adult education and training. Information on the Neighbourhood Services Company (NSC) website states that it is a social business aimed at developing jobs
A spokesperson for AVCT and NSC said: "AVCT were approached by the council to consider opening up the Rhys Jones centre working alongside a local group. Upon completion of the new build AVCT took responsibility for the launch of the centre and managed the centre at their own cost for a year before handing it over to the local constituted group.
"While managing the Rhys Jones centre community members raised concerns about the state of the Stand farm pub and nearby shops. At the time the Stand Farm pub had been closed for a number of years and was semi derelict, the car park area was closed to parking for parental drop off for the local school, thus causing significant problems.
"Two of the seven shop units were empty or closed. It was found that the premises were in the hands of the receiver and had been for a number of years.
"NSC made enquires to the receiver, secured a private loan and put in a successful bid to purchase the former public house.
"NSC then negotiated with the shop keepers and Stand farm lease holders, renovating and reopening the two empty/closed shops. Following consultation with the local community it was decided to develop the former public house into a children's nursery.
"Our company committed substantial resources to complete this project and to improve the district’s profile as the local community had experienced very challenging times. Part of Stand Farm has now been transformed into a thriving Early Years centre and NSC have also repaired the remaining buildings and opened up the car park for parents dropping off children at the local school."
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