A DESPERATE Eccles mum is appealing for sponsors after she was personally issued with a £9,000 bill for the not-for-profit community gallery that she founded.
Karen Illingworth, 50, was issued the bill by Salford City Council for Eccles Community Art Gallery earlier this year and is under pressure to pay the full amount by December, £2,000 of which was due last week.
After an appeal to waive the back-dated business rates bill was rejected, the gallery is now under serious threat of closure, despite being a community initiative that is free to the public.
She said: “All this is very sad and it would be a sad thing if no-one could sponsor us. I can’t pay the bill as a part time worker, debt collectors will be sent round if nobody comes forward to help.
“Huge amounts of my spare time and money have gone into this. All this is immensely worrying as the bill is not far short of my £12,000 salary.”
The mother-of-two, who works as a research technician at Salford Hope Hospital, added that she spends at least 15 hours a week organising the gallery in her spare time, while supporting two children through higher education.
Since the gallery opened around 18 months ago, they have had around 3,600 visitors, equating to about 60 browsers for every day that the premises is open.
Treasurer of the gallery, Ron Mackie, 60, gives up his Saturdays to volunteer. He said: “I was absolutely shocked when I heard of it.
“When you break down the bill, it equates to the gallery having to pay £250 for every day we’ve been open, which is extortionate.”
The gallery, which is in Eccles Shopping Centre, Boothway, only costs £1,500 a year to run, with the premises opening to coincide with the centre’s farmer’s market every Saturday from 10a.m. until 4p.m.
The gallery opened after Ms Illingworth impressed locals with a stall on their 2008 continental market and it has since been a hub of community art events and she is keen to expand to help even more community groups into art.
Support for the gallery has come from high places including Eccles Councillor, John Cullen, and Salford MP, Hazel Blears.
“Please do rest assured that Hazel is fully supportive of Karen,” said a spokesman for Hazel Blears MP. “The gallery is a fantastic addition to the local community.”
The popular gallery has invited local groups like Friends of Eccles Station, Friends of Patricroft Station, local schools and the Links Resources Centre to exhibit their work since its opening.
Amateur artist, Joan Bethell, from Eccles, was taking part in her first public exhibition. She said: “We haven’t got anything else like this in Eccles.
“It should be given help, especially with all the empty shops in the town.”
Last weekend, the gallery’s Painting the Town competition, invited entrants had to create work that represented Eccles to them and was judged by acclaimed Manchester artist, Geoffrey Key.
Moira Glover, from Walkden, was a first-time visitor to the gallery, she said: “More people need to know about this place and it really should stay open. I really hope some sponsors come forward.”
For more information or to donate to the gallery please contact Karen Illingworth on 07981791475 or email ecclescommunityartgallery@yahoo.co.uk.
Also published on www.mancunianmatters.co.uk
http://mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/eccles-mother-hit-hard-%C2%A39k-gallery-bills
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