A day care centre for elderly people at the eastern end of the Island will reopen a month today (Wednesday).

There had been fears that Age UK’s service at Roxeth in Leysdown would shut permanently after it was suspended temporarily in March due to staff shortages and because it was running at a loss.

But chairman of the charity’s Sheppey branch Alan Doucy has announced it will start up again from June 1.

A reduced service will resume to begin with – as a day centre on Thursdays and Fridays and free trips to Tesco will be run, picking up users on a Wednesday.

On Wednesday there will also be return transport offered for residents at the eastern end to take them for day care at the centre in Trinity Road, Sheerness.

There are plans to offer outings and an afternoon club which will run from the Mustards Road venue on Mondays and Tuesdays, but this will be more of a social event rather than offering care.

Mr Doucy said: “I understand this will not please everyone who hoped for a full, five-day-a-week service.

“However, this will present a more sustainable option and one which will be delivering care and services for the elderly in Leysdown and Sheppey for many years to come.

"I think the new range of services offer great variety and are a really good starting point to reach out to more people in the community.”

The new services will be trialled for three months, and Mr Doucy said to keep it going and to be able to up the days, they need to increase the number of people that use it.

“We are still running at a loss but we think we can do this because we are reducing the actual days we are offering and rearranging the staffing and looking at facilities – it’s been a challenge but we are not making anyone redundant,” he added.

“The whole process has been horrible but I think this is the right thing for elderly people of the Island – it’s about having something that’s sustainable.”

• Two open days will be held at Roxeth on Monday, June 3, and Tuesday, June 4, from 1.30pm to 4pm.

Pensioner Joan Conn, who was dismayed at the temporary closure and was worried Roxeth wasn’t going to reopen, was delighted to hear that the services will restart.

The 83-year-old, of Seaview Avenue, Leysdown, had been going to the centre every day for 13 years and although she tried the Sheerness one, she didn’t want to continue going there.

She said: “It’s lovely news – I’m really pleased.

“At least it’s going to be open.”

However not everyone has welcomed the news – Cllr Pat Sandle said it’s not enough.

“It’s a start and it’s something, but I don’t think people up here will be satisfied,” she said.

“We are losing all sorts of things and getting forgotten.

“I don’t think it’s acceptable and I think [Age UK] could do better than that – I don’t think it’s good enough.”