Charity hub for the elderly to move 18 miles away

A charity that supports elderly and vulnerable residents said it was having to relocate a service more than 18 miles (29km) away for financial reasons.

Age Well East’s main office on North Hill in Colchester will be based at Imperial House in Rosemary Road, Clacton from January.

It said those who currently attended clubs and events there would receive help to find alternative groups in the city to "ensure a smooth transition".

The charity runs projects for more than 4,000 people facing poverty, social isolation, ill health, dementia and bereavement.

Although the North Hill hub will soon close, all other community-based services and groups will continue to run as usual.

These include dementia-inclusive friendship cafes, online friendship groups and a fish and chips club.

The charity blamed the move on the economic climate, increased costs and financial pressures.

The current hub is also not being used to its full capacity due to more staff working from home or in the community and clubs taking place elsewhere in Colchester.

Chief Executive Tom Harrison said: "We need to ensure we use our budget wisely to help those people who need us most."

Kelly Le Friant, fundraising and marketing manager, believed the change could have some benefits.

"The move signals an opportunity for us to maintain and grow our effective support for people in our community at a time of increasing need," she said.

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