North West Kent Age UK is still hoping to avoid closure
A charity supporting elderly people has written to all its service users warning that it is under threat of closure.
But at the same time the North West Kent Age UK chairman of trustees, John Burden, has urged staff and clients in Gravesend and Dartford to remain positive as there were still avenues being pursued to save the organisation.
Mr Burden said: "We are still considering the process and trying to find a pathway forward.
"We may be able to re-locate our Gravesend services in Dartford.
"We may still secure funding from Kent County Council, or we may be able to reach some arrangement with Age UK Medway."
North West Kent Age UK is a stand-alone limited company and charity.
Although associated with the national organisation, it receives only nominal support from it.
Proceeds from the Age UK shop in Gravesend High Street, for example, do not help fund just the local branch.
Mr Burden said: "Our difficulties arise entirely from March last year, when KCC, which had been paying us £680,000 to run our services locally suddenly gave the contract to another supplier.
"It's difficult to recover from that sort of financial loss."
But Mr Burden said the charity had been recovering well by making a number of savings.
He said: "We could continue now with just half that amount.
'I want everyone to remain positive...'
"Our chief concern is for the elderly people we support.
"We don't want to worry them unduly. Everything is being done to ensure we can continue."
The charity provides about 150 fresh meals daily to elderly people, gives respite care for dementia sufferers at its Dartford centre, and offers a number of other services such as handyman repairs, chiropody, cleaning and help with medical visits.
The branch has initiated a redundancy consultation with its staff, thought to number between 40 and 50, mostly full-time, but Mr Burden said the consultation had been extended to the end of March.
It is at the start of the new financial year when the trustees must decide whether there is a prospect of solvent trading.
Both the organisation's centres – at Clarence Row in Gravesend and at the Meadowside in Dartford – are leased from the local authorities.
Mr Burden said: "I want everyone to remain positive. If people start thinking we are closing and ceasing to use our services, that will become a self-fulfilling prophecy."
One of the savings that North West Kent Age UK was forced to make after the withdrawal of the KCC grant last year was the closure of its day centre at Gravesend..
KCC awarded the elderly services contract to Involve Kent.
Among the charity's users are a couple both aged 87 from Thong Lane, Gravesend.
'I hope they can stay open, otherwise this is going to hit a lot of elderly people very hard...'
The husband said: "It's very sad. We use Age UK to clip my toe-nails and also to supply us with a cleaner once a week. She's a lovely lady and now she might be losing her job.
"I have a heart problem and get very tired easily and my wife is not very mobile, so its been good to know we could always call on Age UK for help if we needed it.
"I hope they can stay open, otherwise this is going to hit a lot of elderly people very hard."