A CHARITY-run snack kiosk which has operated at Droitwich Railway Station for the past 15 years is closing, due to cuts in its funding from Worcestershire County Council.

The Snax on Tracks shop, which has opened from 7am to 6pm, six days a week since the year 2000, works with up to 30 disabled clients at a time from Kingfields Day Care Centre in Droitwich, introducing them into working life alongside its own staff.

One of the regular customers Lee Withey got in touch with the Advertiser to say: “Being a student studying at a local school in Droitwich, me and my friends enjoy the simple pleasure of some treats after school. Hearing about the closing down of this tuck shop has deeply saddened us, not only for our needs, but for the needs of the people who work there.

“Being volunteer run, the volunteers help the less able and disabled youth who are all around the same age as me. This provides them with a confidence booster and in conversation with the public. I see the help it does with these youth and the true good deeds that the staff do.”

The Snax on Tracks kiosk has been funded by Worcestershire County Council, and is managed by Worcestershire Lifestyles.

Tony Whitcher, CEO of Worcestershire Lifestyles, said: “The council have decided in line with their current thinking to reduce the spending on adult services and Snax on Trax will be one of the casualties.

“I’ve looked at all ways of trying to keep it open, we’ve got three members of staff here, but the bottom line is cuts. It’s devastating for my charity obviously, but at the end of the day they’ve got to start saving it somewhere, and it’s just not viable as a free standing enterprise.

“At the moment we’ve got 30 service users regularly doing shifts down here, and Lifestyles volunteers. It was a very unique project when we started, the emphasis used to be on integrating disabled people into the community instead of sending people to a day care centre, but it’s not the case anymore unfortunately. These people will have to look for alternative places to do volunteering.”

Councillor Sheila Blagg, cabinet member for adult social care at Worcestershire County Council, said: "The funding finished in 2014 however one further year of funding was given by the council in order for the provider to find a sustainable funding solution. Unfortunately they have not been able to find alternative funding sources.

"Worcestershire Lifestyles are making arrangements for those volunteers affected by the closure of Snax on Trax. A new Learning Disability Connect Service will be functioning from Droitwich Library very shortly, providing opportunities to explore volunteering and employment prospects as well as other social and leisure activities."

The kiosk is due to close on March 28, and London Midland, which manages the station has said that although it is looking to get something else there in its place, there’s nothing at the moment.