A POPULAR town centre charity has been forced to close after a botched plan to fix a hole in the cellar at their headquarters made the building dangerous.

The Relationships Centre was set up 18 years ago to offer life skills to residents in need and is well known for its popular heritage project, working with schools to trace the town’s history.

But director Sarah Humphreys, who only took up the role 11 weeks ago, has said the charity ‘cannot survive’ a series of financial irregularities and a failed plan to convert the basement.

She was forced to close the organisation and make 10 staff redundant less than two months after starting her new job.

Sarah said: “I’m as redundant as anybody else here.

“It’s a real shame, we are devastated. They are one of the best teams I have ever worked with – the care and the passion they have for their work is amazing.

“They make sure people have food on the table and clothes and help them get skills for work.

“I can see the difference they make to people’s lives. Telling them the charity is closing is the hardest thing I have ever done.”

Sarah added the headquarters on Museum Street, which are owned by the charity, have been significantly devalued by the building work, which was carried out without a contract, building regulations, planning permission or approval from the board.

Luckily, construction firm Concannon stepped in to make the property safe, but the botched work and a series of other money problems means they have no choice but to close.

Sarah added: “The challenges were just huge. We can’t come back from it. We can’t survive it. The building will now go up for sale.”

Earlier this year the charity also lost a popular member of the team, Lucy McGuire, who died aged 44.