Gizmo Youth Award Photo Pat Fisher

‘Gizmo’ under threat

There was an article in the Hastings Observer about a place called Gizmo in St Leonards possibly closing down due to lack of funding. I didn’t know too much about it, writes Philip Oakley of Philip Oakley Illuminations, but went round to see Pat Fisher yesterday. She started ‘Gizmo’ 12 years ago.

Basically, ‘Gizmo’ is a place for kids to hang out and Pat is a pensioner who runs it as a volunteer. She’s been ill, there’s rent and bills to pay, their funding’s been cut and there’s also some work to do there on the space itself. All pretty desperate stuff, which seems to be causing Pat a lot of stress on top of the loss of a valuable community asset.

Anyway, it seems to be a positive place helping some kids from difficult backgrounds, even giving them dinner on Christmas Day. It would be great to keep it going in the short term and give more practical help in the medium to long term.

If you can afford to help financially please do, if you can help practically that would be great too. Even forwarding this e-mail to others will help. Anyone with fundraising ideas can call Pat on 01424 436333 or email gizmopatricia2006@hotmail.co.uk.

Article from Hastings Observer here or the GoFundMe page here.

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