Volunteers warn vulnerable Britons face crisis as 1,200 community centres shut down

In 2023, Age UK warned that closures and reduced services were leaving older people “cut adrift” from social contact and support, with around 1.4 million people aged 50 and over experience chronic loneliness, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This isolation contributes to higher rates of physical and mental decline, with lonely individuals facing a 26 per cent higher mortality risk.

In Elmbridge, Surrey, the impact is already being felt.

The borough council has ended its 'Meals on Wheels' programme and in the process of ceasing direct operation of six community centres, including Molesey Centre for the Community.

Tracy Melson, chair of the Friends of Molesey Centre Charity, said: “It’s getting so costly for them to come that there are people who cannot attend anymore. We do as much fundraising as possible to subsidise the members’ cost.”

Membership fees have risen from £21 to £25 per year. Daily transport costs have doubled from £3.50 to £7. Previously, free charity exercise classes now cost £2 per session.

The centre has faced other temporary closures relating to health and safety concerns, and the effects were felt across those periods of time.

“It's not an understatement to say that there are people who are not here anymore,” Ms Melson said, following the series of closures. “My Dad was depressed; there’s no other word for it.”

The centre now opens just four days a week, between the limited hours of 9am and 3pm.

John, a pensioner who lives alone, has volunteered at the centre since before the pandemic. He maintains the garden and allotment, offering a welcoming space for members to gather.

“This place provides me with the opportunity to meet new people,” he told GB News. “It’s such a vital community pillar, and if it were to shut down, it would be utterly detrimental.”

Despite a protest campaign, the neighbouring Thames Ditton Centre was transferred to Vital Village Community Interest Company in March.

The changes follow council plans approved in July to lease or sell off community centres and wind down direct services.

Dementia care is also set to become an independent entity, either as a charity or community interest company.

The council claims its £4million annual spend on community services reaches fewer than one per cent of residents, and the new model aims to expand reach while saving £1million.

However, volunteers and service users say the centre is a lifeline.

Merv Griffin, treasurer of Friends of Molesey Centre, said: “The approach is like squeezing a balloon — it bulges at the other end, and you are just shifting the burden and where the money goes.”

Gabby Elliot, who runs exercise classes at the centre, added: “There’s a lot of people that really enjoy coming here. It’s a lifeline to them.”

John Cope, Conservative councillor for Walton South, said: “Despite Elmbridge charging one of the highest council taxes in the country and getting extra money from the Government.

"The Council seems hellbent on closing all our local community centres, or in the case of Thames Ditton, giving it away to a private company.”

The new Connected Communities model aims to support ten times more vulnerable residents through local area coordinators.

The restructuring is expected to generate £1million in annual savings.

Officials have pledged £130,000 in support packages for groups taking over centres and plan to commission an infrastructure organisation to assist with administration and fundraising.

They insist the centres will remain open under new management, serving a broader community rather than focusing exclusively on elderly residents.

But for many pensioners, these assurances do little to ease the sense of loss.

“This place isn’t just a building,” Ms Melson said. “For a lot of people, it’s their world.

"For those who rely on the centre, the consequences are deeply personal.“

As councils across the UK continue to restructure services, volunteers warn that the human cost is being overlooked.

“Loneliness and depression don’t discriminate by wealth,” Ms Melson said.

“These centres are lifelines, and allowing them to be run down or handed over will leave many vulnerable and alone.”

“It’s a two-way exchange in terms of social interaction,” she added.

“As a result of my involvement here, my friendship group has grown and developed.

"Remember, they’re not old people — they are people who have lived.”

GB News has approached the council for Elmbridge Council for comment.