Southend dementia support group fears closure due to council cuts

The group meets for two hours a week, offering carers and men with dementia a chance to socialise and relax

Partners who care for men with dementia fear their "isolation" will worsen if a proposed cut to a support group goes ahead.

About a dozen women and their partners meet every Tuesday at The Windermere Club in Southend-on-Sea, describing it as "a lifeline".

However, Southend-on-Sea City Council is considering cutting its dementia community support service.

The authority said no final decision had yet been made.

The cutback to support groups, as part of a review of non-statutory services, could save the council £280,000 per year.

Andrea Levy says the group has been a lifeline for her and her husband

Men at the club are looked after by two "dementia navigators".

Andrea Levy, who has attended with her husband for two years, said the club had helped her with the emotional toll of caring for someone with dementia.

"It's been our lifeline," she told BBC Essex.

"[The partners] talk to each other, we laugh and we cry together, we help each other and no-one prejudges what anyone says; particularly if you feel angry, depressed or like you can't cope any longer.

"We're there to help each other."

Bill Barker says the proposed closure is "a great shame"

Bill Barker, who owns the club where the group has met since 2018, said the proposed closure was "a great shame".

He said having talked to the carers, it was obvious "how important it is to them to get a bit of a break".

James Moyies, Conservative cabinet member for public health, adult social care and constitutional affairs, said due to "financial challenges" the council was carrying out a review to ensure it paid for "statutory and essential" services.

The dementia support service was "identified as a non-statutory service that we are proposing to stop so savings can be made," he said.

Options to mitigate the impact were being considered, he said, and people affected were invited to take part in a consultation.

The council's budget for 2024-25 is due to be discussed at a full council meeting on 23 February.

Last month, the local authority said it had a current budget deficit of £10.7m and was short of about £15m going into next year's budget.

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