East Grinstead Dementia Centre To Close At The End Of October
A centre providing dementia support in East Grinstead is due to close at the end of October, with services set to move to alternative venues.
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove will no longer operate from the Glen Vue Centre, saying attendance is low on some days and the building has become increasingly expensive to run.
The decision has raised concerns among families who rely on the provision.
Oliver Tully's 88-year-old father attends the dementia club three days a week.
Mr Tully said the service had been invaluable to his family as his father's condition has deteriorated.
He and his wife are his father's main carers, but both continue to work.
He said losing the provision, or seeing it significantly reduced, would affect his father's wellbeing and quality of life, as well as the family's ability to provide care.
Age UK said the closure had already been under review before Age UK East Grinstead and District merged with its West Sussex, Brighton and Hove branch.
Trustees of the merged organisation subsequently agreed to proceed with the closure.
The charity said people using the dementia service had been informed, with support set to continue at alternative venues from November through a community-based approach.
The closure will also mean the monthly Repair Café East Grinstead needs to find a new home.
The initiative, which allows people to bring items for repair, has been held at Glen Vue Centre since November 2019.
Coordinator Kathryn Hibberd-Little described the prospect of moving as daunting, but said a new venue was close to being confirmed after several locations offered support.
She also thanked Age UK for allowing the Repair Café to use the centre without charge.
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