THE St Helens YMCA Centre paid tribute to the memory of one of their longest serving members when they opened a new housing court aimed at making people more independent.

The Norman Salisbury Court has been developed as part of the YMCA's Housing Strategy which aims to assist people to move on from dependent housing to a more independent way of life in one of its new self-contained flats.

At present, the first phase of the ambitious scheme has been completed at a cost of £537,000 which was jointly funded by the YMCA, the Housing Corporation and the Duke of Westminster Foundation. There are now 20 flats available at the court but organisers are already planning phase two which should start in 1997 and will provide a total of 44 flats to let in 1998.

The youth organisation made the decision to christen the new court after Norman Salisbury (1909-1993) in recognition of the 60 years of service he gave to the St Helens branch during his lifetime.

He served as a member of the Board of Directors for 50 years and held a number of positions within the organisation, including that of treasurer and as a mark of the respect and esteem which the YMCA hold, they invited his widow, Nancy, to perform the official opening ceremony for the new wing last Friday, June 14.

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