Wrightbus protest held at church linked to ex-director
Hundreds of ex-Wrightbus employees and their families have held a protest outside the Ballymena church where former company director Jeff Wright is a pastor.
Questions have been asked about £15m donated to Green Pastures by the bus-building company over a six-year period.
Wrightbus has been seeking a buyer as it faced financial difficulties, but crashed into administration in recent days as a deal could not be agreed.
Around 1,200 jobs were lost as a result.
The Wright family has also been accused of, but denied, blocking a deal.
Jeff Wright, through a separate company he owns, was seeking £1m in rent for the property out of which Wrightbus operated.
That is understood to have been a factor in preventing a prospective buyer signing a deal.
Wrightbus founder Sir William Wright attended Green Pastures on Sunday morning and apologised to those affected by the firm’s collapse as they gathered outside.
He was applauded as he entered the building and, after the service, spoke to some of those outside, saying: “I am sorry, folks - hopefully everything will work out.”
Community police were also present, but the protest remained peaceful.
VIDEO: Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to UTV about Wrightbus on Sunday
Inside the church, Jeff Wright broke down in tears and received a standing ovation.
He said that people who did not know him had said some horrendous things for years, adding: “There is a time to speak and a time to be silent.”
He also said that people were working hard to bring in a new investor and receive help from the Government.
Among those protesting outside was William Wright’s grand-daughter, Fiona Knowles.
She said: “Our family has been destroyed by this and it could have been avoided.
“It is hard to watch - when you watch your granda who has built this place up since he was 16, to have it destroyed, it is very hard to watch.”
She said 3,000 families were affected three months before Christmas.
She added: “I know the hurt and loss and it is the hopelessness that gets you, I wanted to show my support here.”
Efforts are being made to support those affected by the redundancies, which are the latest blow to the Co Antrim town following the closure in recent years of a number of major employers – including building giant Patton, tobacco company JTI Gallaher, and tyre manufacturer Michelin.
A jobs fair is due to be held at the Braid Centre in Ballymena on Tuesday.