Arbroath Town Mission’s sacked manager has vowed to put the past behind her to save the building from being sold.
Wilma Swankie said she is willing to work alongside anyone – even those who were accused of fighting an “unwinnable” battle against her – to safeguard the town mission’s future.
Miss Swankie, who had been employed at the mission since 1987, took legal action after claiming she was fired in July 2017 for going to the charity regulator and making protected “whistleblowing” disclosures.
She believed the mission was acting illegally in excluding people from becoming members if they did not regularly attend church.
The Town Mission has now ceased practically all of its operations, apart from the church, in the wake of the case after just £3,000 was left in the bank.
The building, worth £235,000, was also put up for sale.
Miss Swankie said: “I don’t want to criticise anybody or hold any grudges – I want to draw a line under what happened and move forward.
“I’m willing to work alongside anyone – past or present – to save the building.
“There’s a hymn that we sang at the Mission and which I think is most appropriate in relation to what I feel could be possible for the Mission: ‘Past put behind us, for the future take us’.”
The charity was losing around £140,000 to £160,000 per annum over the past two years.
The unfair dismissal case cost it a further £100,000, including £60,000 in legal fees.
Employment judge Ian McFatridge said it “must have been obvious” the charity was “highly unlikely to successfully defend this”.
Miss Swankie said: “Do we simply walk away from the responsibility to keep the mission going or can we as a community meet together in a public place to discuss what can be done to keep the doors open for this and future generations?
“Is all of this to be lost to the community, and is it not an insult to those who worked so hard over many years to modernise and extend the premises to learn that the intention is to sell and move to something smaller?
“I am informed that smaller premises will be bought from the proceeds of sale to continue mission work but I fear this would be a backward step and that in all probability it would close when the money ran out.
“Why let this happen? Too many people are still hurting or angry at the present situation.
“As the mission was built for the community can we not work together to bring it to full service once again?”
At one point the tribunal heard how members stood outside the centre and prayed God would rid it of evil spirits.
Board meeting minutes were read out, stating: “Dave (Webster) said there was something heavy over the mission and Derek (Marshall) felt an invisible line between the Mission and the centre whenever he came into the building.
“The battle was not against flesh and blood but was a spiritual battle and Derek suggested that we go around and pray for it to take it back.
“The members then all went around the building, the garden, and the garden room, and prayed that God would remove all evil from the place and fill it with His Holy Spirit.”
In evidence, centre manager Moira Milton denied they were referring to Miss Swankie.
