Willie warns that BlindCraft closure will hurt vulnerable

IN his 57 years, Willie Gibson has only ever had one job.

Since the age of 20, he has shrugged off the limitations of a lifetime of blindness by making it into work at Edinburgh's BlindCraft factory.

Today, Mr Gibson, along with 17 other workers, will leave the Craigmillar factory for the last time after accepting voluntary severance deals ahead of the 218-year-old factory's closure later this year.

The exit of the first wave of staff from the factory - which gives blind and disabled people work making beds but requires a 1 million annual subsidy from the city council - will mark "the beginning of the end" for BlindCraft, according to trade union leaders.

The council is continuing talks in a bid to find a future for the factory. But it is expected to close in July.

Mr Gibson, who joined the company in March 1974 and has performed a number of roles including wiring, bedding, making mattress and working on the switchboard, said that he and many of those leaving will be unlikely to find any other work.

He said: "It is difficult for many disabled people to get a job anywhere else. When I got the job at BlindCraft, it was the only thing I could have done.

"It is a sad day for me, but also for disabled people generally. Disabled people need sheltered employment; many can't survive without it."

Mr Gibson now intends to try supported computer courses but does not know what his future will hold. He said: "It is difficult enough for fully-sighted people to get jobs at the moment."

He insisted that the job had helped him live a more fulfilled life than he would have had otherwise. He said: "It makes you feel a lot better about yourself if you can do a job making something you think people are making use of, like mattresses. It keeps you active as well."

The Evening News first revealed BlindCraft was facing closure last September, as the council wanted to reduce its funding by at least 700,000.

In November, the threat appeared to be lifted when councillors agreed to a union proposal to move to a three-day week. But in February workers rejected the proposals.

The first staff were leaving today ahead of a formal 90-day notice of closure expected to be lodged at the end of this month.

Of the 18 leaving today, all but four have disabilities. Fraser Queen, branch secretary at the Community Union, said: "There will be a few tears when they leave. One chap has been here 43 years. It is a sad day and it is the beginning of the end.

"It should be the flagship in Scotland but unfortunately the administration have decided not.

"Our deputy general secretary met last week with Councillor Tom Buchanan, and (director of health] Peter Gabbitas said that people are interested in taking over the factory but that it has to close first. We are hopeful something can be done."

Some of the organisations said to be interested in taking over BlindCraft have recommended that the council closes it first so that they would not need to take on liabilities like continuing pension contributions.

Cllr Buchanan, the city's economic development leader, said: "We have been through a tranche of individuals, voluntary organisations and others and we will keep the dialogue going. But everyone says they do not want to get involved until steps are made by the council towards closure."