The impending merger of Manchester Jewry’s largest welfare organisations, The Fed and Heathlands Care Village, could pave the way for a one-stop Jewish welfare body in the city.

Addressing a Manchester Jewish Representative Council meeting on Sunday, Fed chairman Marc Adlestone said other local care organisations would have to decide whether to join forces with the merged organisation. But there would be significant practical benefits, he argued.

“There is huge overlap. Communal assets are not being properly used and funding grants are not being accessed.”

However, speaking afterwards, Nicky Alliance Day Centre chair Brian White said key issues needed to be resolved. “Will a larger organisation get more or less funding when local authorities are looking at cutting their budgets? There are big risks to community income and local authority funding. We are waiting to see what happens. But if their merger is successful, we would seriously reconsider merging.”

Alan Wilkins, trustee of the Morris Feinmann Home, believed “some organisations would be frightened off if we talk about merger too quickly. I think we are going down the route of working more closely together, but it is too early to say if other organisations will merge.”
The Fed/Heathlands merger is expected to be completed by the end of the year.