In August 2005, discussions took place between Trading Standards and The Orchard Centre in which Mr Ashworth made a written commitment that he would voluntarily close down the operations and that the process would take approximately five weeks, by which time outstanding tribunals would be completed.   He has failed to notify existing clients what arrangements he has made for the completion of unresolved cases or for the return of the documents and paperwork he holds for them. He has not contacted former clients to advise them what arrangements he has made for the return of their documents and paperwork still held on file or, should these no longer be required by his clients, what arrangements he has put in place for their safe disposal and the protection of their data, under the Data Protection Act.

 

Moreover, it has been brought to our attention, by a number of sources, that Mr Ashworth has placed an article in the December 2005 issue of the Behçet's Society Syndrome newsletter in

connection with claims for Incapacity Benefit and DLA and that he is inviting readers of that

newsletter to contact The Orchard Centre for their assistance with benefit application form filling.

 

The following extracts are from Suzy Chapman replying to messages on Youreable.com Benefits section.

You should be aware, that in 1999, workers at the national ME/CFS charity AfME were still

recommending The Orchard Centre" to telephone enquirers as being a "charity" and "experts"

in advocating for DLA and appeals tribunals.

If a charity (which The Orchard Centre is not) does not carry out its work with due probity,

members of the public have recourse to the Charity Commission. There is no organisation or agency which is responsible for regulating the type of advocacy work undertaken by Mr Ashworth and this is why it has been so difficult for clients to resolve their complaints.

In some cases they have not even been able to retrieve their paperwork from Mr Ashworth in order that they can place their cases in the hands of alternative representatives or with professional

advocacy organisations.

The children's ME/CFS charity TYMES TRUST were at one time also referring families to The

Orchard Centre - it is not surprising then, that many of those who contacted The Orchard Centre for help with their cases, either in relation to DLA or in relation to MSPB or child protection/social services issues, did so in the full expectation that they were being referred to a professionally run organisation and that the individuals to whom they had been referred did hold the qualifications they claimed to hold and had the expertise they claimed to have.

It has only been during the last couple of years, and mainly as a result of painstaking research across the UK and the Isle of Man, that the full extent of the problem has emerged.

 

The case is currently being investigated by the Trading Standards

 

For more information.  Please contact  Norma and Denis.

 

All enquiries or information received will be treated in Confidence 

 

You should be aware, that in 1999, workers at the national ME/CFS charity AfME were still recommending The Orchard Centre" to telephone enquirers as being a "charity" and "experts" in advocating for DLA and appeals tribunals. If a charity (which The Orchard Centre is not) does not carry out its work with due probity, members of the public have recourse to the Charity Commission. There is no organisation or agency which is responsible for regulating the type of advocacy work undertaken by Mr Ashworth and this is why it has been so difficult for clients to resolve their complaints. In some cases they have not even been able to retrieve their paperwork from Mr Ashworth in order that they can place their cases in the hands of alternative representatives or with professional advocacy organisations. The children's ME/CFS charity TYMES TRUST were at one time also refering families to The Orchard Centre - it is not surprising then, that many of those who contacted The Orchard Centre for help with their cases, either in relation to DLA or in relation to MSPB or child protection/social services issues, did so in the full expectation that they were being referred to a professionally run organisation and that the individuals to whom they had been referred did hold the qualifications they claimed to hold and had the expertise they claimed to have. It has only been during the last couple of years, and mainly as a result of painstaking research across the UK and the Isle of Man, that the full extent of the problem has emerged.