A CHARITY which helps people throughout East Hampshire has announced it faces closure at the end of May after running into financial turmoil.

At a time when pressure on social care is making headline news, the work of charities like Bordon-based TLC, which provides support for people suffering from life-limiting conditions, is of paramount importance.

A spokesman said: “TLC has successfully applied and increased smaller grant funding, but there is too large a gap between spend and what can be raised in funds. It was, therefore, announced by the trustees last month that the charity be wound up, which becomes a reality if TLC closes its doors at the end of May.

“TLC has received Big Lottery community grant funding in the past, but the charity has been struggling for funding over the past year since the Lottery funding finished, which amounted to £100,000 a year and did not include a salary for a fundraiser.”

The spokesman continued: “Everyone at TLC is devastated. The local councillors have been so generous, but sadly not enough. The Lottery funded part-time salaries and paid for therapists to give complementary treatments, apart from running costs and volunteer training.

“We at TLC are just so worried about all the people we help. It may be that some volunteers will continue to befriend their people, but we are unique in what we do. Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice has also been referring people to us for therapies as they don’t have funding either.

“There is an ever reducing amount of charitable funds available and very few funders will pass over large sums for small charities.”

And he concluded: “TLC staff and trustees would like to thank all its supporters, funders, friends and the local communities for their tremendous support and it is with deep regret that this service cannot be continued in its current format without further funding.”

In 2013, the charity received a three-year Lottery grant, which came to an end last July. Such grants can be reapplied for but they have to be for “different projects” and there is, TLC said, a waiting time of “at least eight months for them to make a decision”.

From its Bordon base, TLC has supported people with life-limiting conditions and their family carers throughout East Hampshire, Surrey and parts of Sussex since 2009.

Currently they have 160 clients and 94 trained volunteers with additional waiting lists and yet more volunteers waiting to be matched.

When asked if there was any chance of survival, the spokesman added: “Basically we are closing, unless someone comes out of the blue with significant funding between now and May 26.”

The strain on social care, and the knock-on effect on hospitals, which sees patients ‘bed blocking’, has been felt locally, with Hampshire County Council increasing its council tax precept by 4.99 per cent to help plug the gap.

The county council said that three per cent of the total increase is authorised by the Government specifically to pay for the rising cost of social care.

The issue will likely need more attention as years roll by, with a growing population of older and vulnerable people in the community.

The increased cost of social care has put more than £21m on the county budget in 2017/18.

While not directly connected to the work of charities like TLC, the NHS benefits from volunteer organisations which alleviate pressure on services. Without them, the fear is that vulnerable people will look to the public sector for assistance previously provided by charities.

District couple Shirley Briggs and her husband Paul have benefitted from TLC’s regular visits for more than four years.

Shirley, who suffers from blackouts and uses a wheelchair, has been supported by TLC volunteers, which allows Paul a much-needed break. The help is doubly welcome as he no longer drives after battling prostate cancer.

“I am absolutely gutted,” said Shirley. “It is tragic that despite all the fundraising over the years, TLC is now facing closure. I hope that somebody is prepared to take it up and continue the good work.”

Passionate about helping others, the couple have been involved in regular fundraising events for the charity, despite needing support themselves.

“I am in pain every waking hour and enjoy the monthly reflexology sessions with Debra, my therapist,” she added.

“My philosophy is to keep myself and my mind as busy as I can and that does involve fundraising for TLC. If I can I will do anything possible to help the charity.

“Without the weekly visits by my TLC volunteer, Wendy, there would be a big change, not only to my own life but to Paul’s, since he could not go out and feel at ease about me.”

She said she is not so worried about herself but about “all the people who will now lose out and who are a lot worse off than me”.

TLC supports people in the community with a range of conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, MS, and people recovering from strokes.