law centre thriving

May I correct a slightly misleading statement in a recent article 'Funds squeeze law centres' (see [2001] Gazette, 31 August, 3)? It states that the closure of Middlesbrough Law Centre leaves no law centre between Hull and Newcastle.Between these two points, Gateshead Law Centre is actually thriving.

Nearly half of our funding derives from franchise contracts with the Legal Service Commission for welfare benefits, employment and housing.

The remaining bulk of our funding comes from Gateshead Council, which has long shown a strong commitment to support the law centre.

This has always been the case despite the squeezes that have been placed on its funding from central government.With the assistance and support of Gateshead Council we will be shortly moving into bigger premises in Gateshead.

This will enable us to give an even better service to our clients.

We are pleased that Baroness Scotland from the Lord Chancellor's Department will be officially opening our new premises in the near future.We are working to full capacity and have to turn away clients.

We simply do not have the resources to meet the demand for service in the social welfare field in the Gateshead area.

We are acutely aware of the lack of such facilities throughout the north-east.

This reflects the experience of the other 50 or so law centres up and down the country.That there are so few law centres means that there are vast areas of England and Wales where there is no possibility of people getting advice and assistance in this field.

The commitment of the government to social welfare provision will have to be matched by cash.Gerry Martin, manager, Gateshead Law Centre