THE controversial plan to turn the former branch of Marks & Spencer into a charity shop is set to go ahead.
Almost 2,000 people signed a petition urging Wokingham Borough Council to rethink its short-term let of the Peach Street store to Forces Support.
Campaigners say that the company behind the furniture store is dubious, something that the charity denies.
They are now planning to picket the store and hand out leaflets to customers sharing allegations about the charity’s motivations.
However, Wokingham Borough Council has pledged to broker a meeting between the campaigners, led by local man David McMullen, and the charity.
READ MORE: Fears raised over M&S charity store plan for Wokingham
Cllr Stuart Munro, executive member for business, economic development and regeneration, told The Wokingham Paper: “We’ve met with the campaigner and the charity separately to understand the issues, and all three of us are due to meet together this week.
“It would not be fair on all the parties concerned to comment further until after that meeting.”
Forces Support chair of trustees Ronald Spurs issued a statement refuting the allegations made by the campaigners.
He said: “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make a comment on the allegations made.
“Forces Support does support low level charity projects for bereaved families and we will continue to do this.
“We are also currently looking to enter into a partnership agreement with another charity with same objective as Forces Support to invest funds to support service personnel who have been injured in service and have fallen on hard times.
“We will be looking at providing them with accommodation and care to get them back into the workplace.
“As the 2017 accounts submitted shows we have fresh Trustees in place and the Charity Commission are more than content with the services our charity provides.”
