The future of a Herne Bay charity hangs in the balance after Kent County Council changed how it funds mental health organisations.

Leaders at the town’s Umbrella Centre, which supports people with mental health problems, have received an annual grant from the authority since 1985.

But KCC bosses have now handed control of the funding to the Shaw Trust, which has not yet decided if it will support the centre in William Street.

Charity trustee Alan Figgis, who has worked at the centre for 16 years, said: “The funding has been cut by KCC because it is uninterested unless the end result is economically viable.

“This shows that the people responsible have no idea what mental health is.

“We have had 117 people attend the centre at some point in the last six weeks, most days we have a core group of 20, and about 50 different people come through the doors on a good week.

“We give these people who need help something to do and have activities such as bingo and art.”

KCC bosses gave the Umbrella Centre, which aims to improve mental health in the town, a grant of £43,506 last year.

Mr Figgis said the charity could not afford to pay for its William Street site and could shut down.

He is trying to find cash to hire Herne Bay Baptist Church for two days a week, cutting the number of days it is open from five.

He said six out of eight staff had been made redundant.

Gill Lawson, chairman of the board of trustees, said: “We won’t be able to run from this centre any longer, but as trustees we are committed to finding some sort of service for our members.

“Our members have enduring mental health problems and we are a lifeline for them – we keep them out of hospitals.”

Retired fruit farmer Mr Figgis, 77, added that the charity provided a “secure base” for people.

He said: “This will get a strong reaction from the people of Herne Bay because there will be people walking around the High Street who cannot cope.

“Many of these people have an extremely low mentality and could not contemplate having a job.

“This is their secure base. What KCC has done here is quite iniquitous in my opinion and we are being left to deal with it.”

Terri Buglione, who has been using the centre since 1996, said it provided a crucial service.

She said: “It’s very important. It’s a lifeline for all of us. We are not like friends, we are like family – we all help each other out.

“When we are depressed we all go here.

“What we need is as much publicity as we can get hold of – we need to be supported at the moment.”

KCC COMMENT

KCC spokesman Ella Hughes says support has been given to the Umbrella Centre.

She said: “There has been no reduction of funding in the voluntary sector for mental health services across Kent.

“Historically organisations like the Umbrella Centre applied for and were awarded annual grants.

“No final decisions have been made about which community organisations we are going to work with..." - Joel Charles, Shaw Trust

“These organisations repeatedly reported that forward planning, service and business development was challenging on a one-year grant-funded basis.

“They told us a longer-term funding approach was needed.

“Kent County Council and the seven clinical commissioning groups have commissioned the Shaw Trust to run the new service in the Herne Bay area.

“Shaw Trust will be responsible for choosing a network of organisations that will provide the services.

“Advice and support has been given to the Herne Bay Umbrella Centre throughout the commissioning process and they have been encouraged to work with the Shaw Trust.”

Shaw Trust spokesman Joel Charles said: “No final decisions have been made about which community organisations we are going to work with.”