The Friends of Chiswick Day Centre are asking for one final show of support as the decisive vote on the issue looms.

The vote on whether or not to close the centre takes place this Tuesday and it is expected that all 25 opposition Councillors will vote against. This means that they need just 5 of the 35 Labour Councillors to abstain or vote against closure to save the centre.

The meeting is a public meeting and the campaign is looking for people to attend to show support for the centre and e-mail Councillors asking them to reconsider voting for closure. A list of Councillor's e-mails is on the Hounslow Council web site.

Laura Sophie Ware, a Friend of Chiswick Day Centre said, "as a carer the closure of the day centre will change my life completely. I will no longer have respite time I need I to do even the simplest of tasks such as cleaning the house or even going shopping for myself. My mother and her friends and their community at the day centre will be ripped apart. Most of them will become house bound and will never see each other again."

She claims that the alternative provision proposed in Heston does not have the capacity to take everyone that is suffering with the effects of dementia from Chiswick, so a 5 day service will not always be provided to those who currently get one.

She said, "This is our last chance to prevent both carers and the service users of The Chiswick Day Centre from unnecessary suffering. The Long term effects of this closure will be devastating."

September 18, 2011