HUHNE BACKS NAOMI HOUSE PETITION ON CHARITY LOSSES (Eastleigh Liberal Democrats)

Eastleigh Liberal Democrats <enquiries@eastleighlibdems.org.uk>

HUHNE BACKS NAOMI HOUSE PETITION ON CHARITY LOSSES

November 27, 2008 12:45 PM

Chris Huhne with Khalid Aziz and Ray Kipling Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne is backing the campaign for the Government to recover charity funding from the Icelandic bank collapse and expressed his dismay that local charity Naomi House has had to suspend some of its services because of the uncertainty.

Mr Huhne said that the suspension of the Naomi House outreach service - designed like its residential service to provide hospice care and support for the terminally ill children and their families - was a "bitter blow" for a charity that had enormous support across Hampshire and the wider South East.

Mr Huhne has signed a Downing Street petition that calls for the Government to "do everything in his power to assist with the recovery of funds lost by UK charities in the failed Icelandic bank Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander". He is also backing a Commons motion calling for help for Naomi House.

Mr Huhne said: "Naomi House is the most prominent local charity facing this uncertainty, and it does such good work for children who are in desperate need of hospice care. I do hope they do not lose their vital £5.7 million that has been raised by so many thousands of Hampshire donors with the clear aim of extending their wonderful facilities".

Mr Huhne recently visited Naomi House and is pictured here with Khalid Aziz, the chairman of the trustees, and Ray Kipling, the chief executive. He was given a tour of the existing 10-bed facility and of the building site for the new £12 million facility for teenagers and young adults at Sutton Scotney.

"Naomi House has been a favourite charity of many people in Eastleigh for many years because of the great work it does with children. There is nothing more heart-rending than the early end of lives so full of hope and promise"

The petition is open to 12 January, and can be accessed on http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/CharityHelp/. Mr Huhne has also backed a Commons motion in support of Naomi House.