CRUCIAL services provided by a charity set up in memory of two children killed in the Warrington town centre bombing 27 years ago are in jeopardy because of cuts in Government funding.

The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation, which is based at the Peace Centre, was established after the deaths of 12-year-old Tim Parry and three-year-old Johnathan Ball in the IRA attack in March 1993.

The Peace Centre formed a key part of the General Election campaign in the town, with housing secretary Robert Jenrick and foreign secretary Dominic Raab visiting.

The foundation received £150,000 in Government funding per year over the last decade.

But key services provided by the charity have been put at risk due to cuts in funding.

In March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Government will do ‘everything we can’ to ensure it remains in place, however, there has been no commitment.

Labour have warned the Prime Minister ‘his failure to keep a promise made to secure funding’ risks removing vital support for terror victims.

On a visit to the Peace Centre today, Friday, the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland Louise Haigh and Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols met support workers to hear about the work the foundation does in supporting victims of terrorism across the country, along with promoting reconciliation.

Ms Haigh hailed the ‘wraparound support’ for victims and said it is quite clear the Government has relied on the service in the past, particularly after the Manchester Arena bombing.

Warrington Guardian:

Louise Haigh, shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland

She said the Government needs to secure the funding support for the foundation and make sure the future of its work is safe.

“I have heard amazing stories and testimony over many years about the work of the Warrington Peace Centre, so it’s been brilliant to actually see it first-hand today and to talk about the work they do on preventing conflict and on conflict resolution,” she told the Warrington Guardian.

“It’s really quite horrifying that they have been having to be funded by a philanthropist and by charity for the last few months and that funding is only guaranteed up till the end of September.

“So they have not been receiving Government money for several months now and the future of the work that they have been doing here has been incredibly insecure.

“Clearly, many Tory politicians turned up during the General Election and made promises that it seems like they knew that they weren’t going to keep.”

Meanwhile, she said it is quite clear the appointment of Claire Fox to the House of Lords has caused real hurt and labelled it as ‘disgusting’.

Mr Johnson has faced huge pressure to block the controversial peerage since it was announced last Friday.

Ms Fox is a former core activist and organiser for the Revolutionary Communist Party.

After the 1993 Warrington bombing, which killed Tim and Johnathan, the Revolutionary Communist Party’s official newsletter stated that they defended ‘the right of the Irish people to take whatever measures necessary in their struggle for freedom’.

Ms Fox was also a member of the Irish Freedom Movement, which backed dissident republicanism.

The Peace Foundation was set up by Tim’s parents, Colin and Wendy, following the attack 27 years ago.

Colin has said that the offer of a peerage ‘offends me and many others deeply’.

Ms Nichols has written to Mr Johnson to urge him to use his power to block the nomination.

Warrington Guardian:

MP Charlotte Nichols

Ms Haigh said: “When they are not providing the security and funding and future of this centre, it’s a real double kick in the teeth for the people of Warrington.”

Ms Nichols said she has received hundreds of messages on social media and many e-mails from people who are ‘so angry and hurt’ about the decision over the peerage.

“Ultimately, the Prime Minister has the authority to block any nomination,” she added.

“He should use that authority to block Claire Fox’s and, as has been said today, he also needs to make sure that the funding for the Peace Centre is secured.”

The Peace Foundation’s chief executive Nick Taylor held discussions with the Labour pair during the visit.

Mr Taylor said: “The Government’s funding for the service for victims of terrorism finished in March and we were very fortunate to get the support of a number of emergency trusts but in particular the Steve Morgan Foundation – and that funding is continuing until the end of September.

“But we are now in August and we are concerned, of course, because there has been just no movement on the promises the Government has made over the last eight months. This is really putting the service in jeopardy and a lot of jobs in jeopardy as well.”

Mr Taylor added terrorism remains a ‘real threat’ and that he believes it is ‘astonishing’ that funding is yet to be protected by the Government.