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Patients, carers and people with learning disabilities are fighting to save a day centre.

Kent County Council has proposed closing the Day Opportunities Service (DOS) in St Stephen’s Walk, Ashford as part of modernising its day services.

About 50 adults with learning disabilities use the centre.

Many of them have been going for more than 30 years and are terrified by the thought of it closing.

It is also worrying parents and carers as it provides vital respite.

KCC is proposing offering smaller units instead, one of them being on the third floor of the new Gateway, the building in Church Lane, which will replace Ashford’s library and includes a register office.

Jackie Elford, 47, who has been going to the centre since she was four said: “I don’t want it to close and it’s a worry.”

Her mother Barbara Elford said: “I would hate the centre to close because it’s been Jackie’s life, she has all her friends there and they just hate change.”

Steven Webster, 58, who has been going to the centre for more than 30 years, said: “I don’t want it to close because I’ve got friends up there. I will have no one to talk to and nowhere to go.”

Michael Lane, 42, who has been there since he was 19 and has been gathering signatures on a petition to try and keep it open, said: “I’ve got a girlfriend there called Lisa and I don’t want to be parted from her.”

Margaret Pett’s daughter Janice has been a member for 39 years.

Mrs Pett said: “We don’t want to stand in the way of progress but change has got to be for the better.”

Mrs Pett is also the chairman of Ashford Mencap.

She is concerned that Kent County Council has not made people aware that a consultation is now under way.

She said: “Ashford Mencap was not informed and we have yet to meet a member of the public who knows about the proposals.”

The county council held a meeting to tell clients about the proposals.

About 40 people with learning disabilities attended.

Mrs Pett felt that most people in the meeting did not understand the proposals.

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Kent County Council cabinet member for Adult Social Services Graham Gibbens said: “I am very aware that this is a sensitive process and that people feel very attached to the building at St Stephen’s Walk. However this will be a long process, designed to give people who will be affected a chance to be involved at every stage.

“No changes to the service will be made until the new ways of providing the services are ready. I have been down to see what is happening at Ashford for people with learning disabilities and I am going to see how services work there again in February. I will continue taking a personal interest in this process.”

He said the proposed changes were in line with plans to offer more personalised services.

He added: “KCC wants to make sure people have a wider range of choice, more control and equality of opportunity, so they can lead a full life based around their own choices.

“With this in mind, I believe the service – provided in a new way – will give people with learning disabilities better days and a better quality of life.”