A crowdfunding bid has been launched to help an Age UK centre which has lost around £230,000 of funding.

The money was to have come from Kent County Council but during a budget meeting it was announced the Universal Wellbeing Services contract awarded to the independent charity in Tunbridge Wells will not be renewed this year.

The loss of funding means the charity, which provides essential services for the elderly, is facing a financial hurdle as fundraising efforts have been stunted by the pandemic.

After hearing the news, Alison Tessier, who has volunteered for the charity for just over a year, created a Just Giving page.

Mrs Tessier, 34, said: "Given everything that has happened, it just seems such a shame that this centre, which offers so much to so many people, could be at risk.

"I have seen first-hand the essential work that they have carried out over the years, even more so during 2020.

"It gives them the freedom to socialise, interact and in general avoid the feeling of loneliness that many elderly people experience daily.

"I set the target to £50,000 but this is just a goal and to come anywhere near it would go above and beyond any expectations."

So far £560 has been raised.

Prior to lockdown Mrs Tessier was volunteering on a Friday afternoon at the dementia day care to support those living with the disease and to learn more about it after her father was diagnosed with the condition.

When the centre was forced closed last March due to the pandemic, she and other volunteers began delivering hot meals at lunch times.

At the beginning they gave away 1,500 free community meals and now provide 350 meals each week on people's doorsteps.

Volunteers also queued at supermarkets to do shopping and collect prescriptions for those isolating.

KCC has decided to fund another operator which provides similar services to those at Age UK.

Sandra Springett, the chief officer at Age UK Tunbridge Wells, said: "We know that things are going to be different going forward because we were not successful with our bid.

"We don't have any axes to grind because we know this is just how things work sometimes.

"We have had our share of funding crises but every time we have managed to pull through.

"It's great that Alison has put the fundraising page out there, it will certainly be put to great use."

Clair Bell, KCC Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health said the decision was made based on the changing needs of service users.

She added: “As the needs of Kent’s population change, it is important we continue to listen to our residents to ensure our services remain relevant, can tackle emerging issues and make it as easy as possible for people to get the support they need.

"Following a public consultation, the council created a new, more preventative wellbeing service model designed to bring together a range of services and make them more accessible giving everybody the opportunity for their wellbeing needs to be met.

“KCC then actively engaged with and encouraged local wellbeing providers to work together to form partnerships to bid for the new contracts which, following some delay due to the pandemic, are now being phased in.

"We have had our share of funding crises but every time we have managed to pull through..."

“Following the announcement of the decision to award the new Universal Wellbeing Services contract in West Kent to Involve, officers from KCC, the CCG and the district councils met with the Age UKs of Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells that were originally not part of Involve’s delivery network and encouraged ongoing conversations between Involve and the Age UKs to determine to what extent they will be included as delivery partners.

"We are pleased that the discussions have resulted in Age UK’s being part of the network moving forward."

She added: “Along with the additional financial support provided during the pandemic, KCC has offered each of the West Kent Age UKs a financial transition package based on a proposal the council requested from them setting out their transition plans until the end of June 2021, when hopefully restrictions will have eased enough to allow them to resume activities and income streams to start again.

“We recognise that this means there will be a different offer for older people in the future and may not mean the continuation of all the services previously delivered by Age UK.

"However, the future offer being developed by Involve is broader and more varied and will allow older people more choice."

To donate to the fundraiser, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Tunbridge Wells