COUNCIL CONTINUES TO EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR DAY CENTRE

Despite Wokingham Borough Council’s best efforts, it has not been able to identify a provider to immediately take over Twyford and District Age Concern’s day centre – but it will continue to explore options for the future.

In August, the independent charity announced it was having to close its day centre due to lack of funds.

Since then, the borough council has been propping the service up financially while working with it and partners to try to find a provider to keep it going in the long term.

Expressions of interest were invited from potential providers and those submitted were assessed to ensure they could provide a good offer to the community in the long-term.

Sadly, a suitable and viable partner has not been identified and the charity will now fold and the day centre close on Friday 27 November.

Although the charity was completely independent, the council owns the building it operated from and is determined to find a community use for it that supports older people in the area. It is envisaged that the council will advertise the opportunity again in early 2027.

Leader of the council, Cllr Stephen Conway, said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank the incredibly dedicated staff who have run the centre in Twyford and District Age Concern for many years.

“But recently, the centre struggled financially, because day centres, such as the one it ran, are not as popular as they used to be.

“But there is still a need for a community service for older people; and we are determined to find a solution for the community of Twyford and beyond. The expression of interest process did not immediately lead to a solution and that is disappointing, but not the end of our efforts.

“We will now work with partners on a new expression of interest process that we believe may attract a different range of potential providers.”