FUNDING cuts will bite deep into Andover charity Neighbourcare’s activities again next year, says the organisation’s chief, Pam Delderfield.

Neighbourcare has grown over the years to provide a wide range of services to the town’s community which is specially tailored to the needs of elderly and disadvantaged people.

The group says these services have been provided at very low cost by careful use of volunteers, while many services were paid for by Hampshire County Council and a very small amount by Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC).

“We have taken a big knock from Hampshire County Council (£80,000) as the administration for most our services will no longer be funded,” said the chief executive.

“It will mean a lot more work for those who are left behind – by next year I will be the only member of staff to be funded by county and any other remaining staff will be funded by shop sales, fund raising and a membership fee we will introduce.

“There have already been redundancies and there will be a second phase followed by more dependence on volunteers, but there is a limit to the number available.

“Neighbourcare has grown into a very big organisation over the years, but it has done so with very little grants from the councils and has taken the biggest knock because we have run on contracts.

“However, we have a good team here and we are well supported by the community and, hopefully, most services will survive.”

Neighbourcare plans to keep all the services it currently covers, though keeping the home from hospital service and sitting service is likely to pose a significant hurdle.

One area in which the group has had to take action is St Anne’s Hall in Suffolk Road which was handed back to TVBC to run after several years of Neighbourcare management.

“With the cuts, we cannot afford to administer the hall any more and with my increased workload, I have not got the time to manage the hall which I did voluntarily,” she added. “A significant number of community activities and clubs use the St Ann’s facilities, and TVBC have already found that it will cost a lot more to run than when it was under Neighbourcare management; consequently, the St Anne’s facility will be costing more to operate than the savings achieved.

Neighbourcare’s Silver Surfers Internet Café for the over-50s is self-funding and will be unaffected.

“For all the thousands of people who use our services and have shown concern about the cuts in funding, I would like to assure you that as long as Neighbourcare does not receive any more cuts, we hope to continue to serve the community with the support of local authorities and our sponsors.” Neighbourcare’s Silver Surfers Internet Café for the over-50s is self funding and will be unaffected.