Dozens of staff facing redundancy at Age UK branch

Chief executive Julia Neal said she was sorry the charity had not been able to find a solution

Ninety-seven people are at risk of redundancy after Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire announced it would close due to financial difficulties.

The Worcester-based charity, which supports older people, cited rising operating costs and a shortage of funding for its decision to shut on 30 September.

The move was expected to affect people who use the service as well as staff, volunteers and others who have supported its work.

Chief executive Julia Neal said staff have been working “really hard to try and keep things going" but all alternative options had "drawn a blank".

“We’ve looked at a number of options including working more closely with other charities, downsizing the organisation, we’ve applied for lots of grants," Ms Neal explained.

“Our 97 staff are now at risk of redundancy - we’re obviously supporting them where we can to help look for other things."

Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire will shut at the end of September

The organisation supported more than 15,000 older people across the region last year.

Ms Neal said they were working closely with other charities in the area to see where there might be job vacancies and also looking at alternative arrangements for their clients.

“I’m just so disappointed that we can’t continue to support them,” she said.

"I’m just really sorry that we haven’t been able to find a solution for this."

Helen Davis, from Worcester Community Trust, said their charity could offer its services to people affected

Worcester Community Trust, which runs a weekly lunch club for the over-50s, said it could offer its services to people after Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire closes.

The charity, which has six hubs across the city, offers support in finding employment and other activities and services for people of all ages.

Helen Davis, their deputy chief executive, said the news that the Age UK branch was closing was "absolutely devastating".

"Unfortunately with funding that does happen, we're on cycles of funding," she explained.

"We are continually looking at at how we're accessing funding to continue projects."