Family's worried about loved ones as four Birmingham day centres close
Centres at Harborne, Beeches GOLDD, Fairway, and Heartlands are closing as part of city council budget cuts
Last updated 31st Mar 2025
As four adult day centres in Birmingham close their doors for the final time today, we've been hearing from carers who say they're worried for their loved ones.
Centres at Harborne, Fairway (Kings Norton), Heartlands (Duddeston), and Beeches GOLDD (Perry Barr) are all closing as part of city council budget cuts.
Jean Cross' brother Robert has been going to the Harborne day centre for 44 years.
He's been given a place at the Hockley Centre which is staying open, but Jean told us she's worried about the impact of the disruption:
"They have had a few taster days, but it's just all the upheaval.
"Robert's non-verbal so I have no idea what's going on in his mind, and I don't know how he's going to settle."
Jean had been campaigning for the centre to be kept open, but felt the council did not listen.
"There's not going to be any adult day centres in the south of Birmingham," she said.
"Of the five day centres they are keeping, they're all in the north of Birmingham. So Robert's going to be going on the transport for longer than he is now."
Jean told us she's concerned about the impact of the move on Robert:
"Robert is epileptic and I've been told by top surgeons that the disruption could bring on more epileptic fits, because he'll be in a new environment.
"Obviously he knows this environment because he's been coming here for 44 years."
Birmingham City Council have said the closures were a necessary cost cutting measure and that no users who qualified for help would be left without a suitable day centre place, including transport provision.