An Age UK day centre is closing at the end of the month as it cannot afford to stay open.

The Gravesend branch has been operating since 2011 offering dementia support and advice, a day centre for social activities and fresh meals and community services.

But after a change in Kent County Council (KCC) funding, the service run by the organisation at the site in Clarence Row will be closing on Friday, April 29.

An Age UK North West Kent spokesman said: "We are very sorry to have made the difficult decision to close the day centre, but unfortunately we can no longer afford to run it.

"The charity has faced a number of financial challenges in recent years, which have been compounded by the coronavirus crisis and the withdrawal of funding from the local authority.

"It is a real shame because we know the centre made a big difference to its users and their families, and if we could have kept the centre going we would certainly have done so.

"We are liaising with all staff and volunteers about next steps and remain committed to ensuring local older people know where they can turn for support.

"We would like to thank all of our staff and volunteers for their hard work, dedication and commitment to our work, and to the local community for their support."

People are being encouraged to call the centre on 01474 564898 for advice and information.

The organisation's day centre at Meadowside in Dartford will remain open for older people to visit and will run a range of social activities within the space available.

According to Meadowside's website, it offers both a dementia hub and wellbeing services. It also provides transport to and from, food and drinks and a range of games including bingo.

The news comes after a change in the way KCC funds voluntary and community organisations after it recognised "that although there was a good range of services and support, they were not always consistent or based on local populations’ needs."

Following a consultation at the end of 2019, the council decided to award contracts to successful providers rather than closed grants.

"It is a real shame because we know the centre made a big difference to its users and their families..." - Age UK

It encouraged local groups to work together to form partnerships to bid for the new contracts which would come in by April 1.

A spokesman added: "Unfortunately Age UK declined this offer.

"The successful provider for Gravesend is Involve and they will continue to support individuals who are already accessing community services, and also offer an opportunity to provide a wider variety of services that meet the needs of a larger number of Kent residents aged over 55, taking a person-centred approach that is holistic and evidence-based."

Are you affected by the closure? Contact Alex Langridge at alangridge@thekmgroup.co.uk