In 1975 Age Concern Hythe and Romney Marsh was formed. A Pop-In service was developed in the Methodist Hall in New Romney High Street. This was open on a Thursday and Friday mornings with satellite offices in Dymchurch, Dungeness and Lydd open on three mornings and one afternoon a week.
In 1980 it was agreed that the organisation was so successful the time had come to sever the links with Hythe and concentrate on the needs of the elderly on Romney Marsh - Age Concern Romney Marsh was formed.
Through the good services of Shepway District Council, a wooden building previously used as mobile classrooms and standing at the rear of the Old School in Church Lane was made available for rent. This would provide up to 40 places for day care. The land was designated as a site for housing and it was agreed that the lease would run until 1982.
It was clearly in the interests of all concerned that suitable permanent premises should be located. The project slipped for several years as no suitable site was found. It was recognised that the Age Concern Community Hub would be in one of the two main population centres of Romney Marsh – either New Romney or Lydd.
Age Concern Romney Marsh had limited resources, somewhere in the region of £30,000, and it soon became apparent that, to purchase land and build or to renovate a redundant building, e.g. the old Primary School building in New Romney, would be too expensive.
Shepway District Council understood the dilemma and the lease on the wooden building was extended at a peppercorn rent but money was constantly being spent on keeping the building safe and watertight so that the day care of the elderly of Romney Marsh could continue on a daily basis.
In 1990, with no site in mind, it became abundantly clear that major roof repairs were required and, reluctantly as far as the clients were concerned, an agreement was reached with Southlands School, at a cost of £500 per month, for a basic service to be provided at the school while the repairs were carried out.
A new Chairman of the Executive Committee was elected in July 1991 and the location of land was sought urgently. A potential site was refused planning permission. Kent County Council Social Services, Shepway District Council, the Rural Development Commission and the Romney Marsh Town and Parish Councils all expressed strong support and, following a ‘round the table’ meeting of interest parties, a Development Committee was formed to work alongside the Executive Committee. The members of this newly formed committee, who had no power and no vote, consisted of representatives from local councils and the funding agencies and acted purely in an advisory/consultative capacity.
At this stage, the present Chairman of Age Concern Romney Marsh, Steve Alderton, was elected by the District Council to represent the interests of the Council alongside officers with specific skills in relation to this type of project. With the assistance of the District Council’s Planning Officer for the Romney Marsh, the area was trawled for a suitable site, which, hopefully would be granted planning permission for a new Community Hub.
In January 1992, the then Chairman of Age Concern Romney Marsh reported that a suitable site had been found; land belonging to a local former was available for purchase and negotiations commenced. Planning permission was granted, an architect was retained and plans were drawn up.
An appeal was launched on 29th May 1992 with a target of £210,000 to complete the scheme. A grant of £75,000 from Social Services, £20,000 from Shepway District Council and £20,000 from the Rural Development Commission together with monies held by Age Concern Romney Marsh left a shortfall of approximately £40,000. It was considered that, with an intense fund-raising programme and appeals to Charitable Trust, a new Community Hub appeared, at long last, to be not just on the drawing board but a reality, albeit some 10 years late.
The newly formed Development Committee expressed concern towards the end of 1992 when it became apparent that there would be a massive shortfall in funding.
The Chairman resigned in March 1993 and work on the building ceased shortly afterwards.
On 4th
August 1993 at the Annual General Meeting of Age Concern Romney Marsh, a new Executive Committee was formally elected. The new Committee worked well together. Advice was given freely and willingly. Age Concern England, Age Concern Kent, Kent County Council, both the Property Services Department and Social Services, Shepway District Council, Legal Department and Building Control, the Rural Development Commission and several Charitable Trusts all played a part.
On 16th
November 1994, the old wooden hut behind the trees was closed and, on Monday 21st
November, we were open and ready for business in the new Community Hub. Later that week the old Community Hub was demolished.
THE AGE CONCERN MOVEMENT
The national organisation was formed during the upheaval of the Second World War. At this time in our history, life was made very much more difficult for older people in many ways but it also revealed their existing problems, particularly the unsuitability of Poor Law provision.
The Old Age and Widows Pension Act (1940) introduced the system of supplementary pensions for elderly people. Claimants were visited at home by officers of the Assistance Board who felt that other forms of support were needed and the Assistance Board requested the help of the National Council of Social Services. The Council had, itself, already seen the necessity for a committee to consider the welfare of older people and decided that a new coordinating body was needed to deal with the increasing number of enquiries from older people and to promote new services for them.
Twenty national voluntary organisations concerned with older people, three Government departments and experienced individuals were called together to a conference on 7th October 1940 to consider the issues raised by the Assistance Board “to study the needs of old people and promote measures for their well-being”. This conference formed the Committee for the Welfare of the Aged. The Committee was the origin of Age Concern England. By 1955 the Committee had become known as the National Old People’s Welfare Council. The title Age Concern was introduced in the 1970s.
Age UK and Age Concern Consortium (Kent) undertake to be active in the following four areas:-
- Educate the public about the needs of older people
- Find new ways of meeting needs and problems
- Work with other organisations in identifying and meeting older people’s needs
Practical help for Age Concern organisations was available from Age UK, including training courses and events, and specialist guidance.
During the late 1990’s the National Council for Older People decided that a review/restructuring of the Age Concern movement was necessary. The year 2000 saw the introduction of “The Federation”. Age UK.
“The Federation” brought with it many changes and restrictions. Age Concern Romney Marsh elected not to be part of the newly formed “Federation” but to continue as an independent organization looking after the older people of the local community. Age Concern Romney Marsh wishes to remain very much a “hands on” service and has made the decision to specialise in Day Care Services.
In March 2020 the charity set up the Romney Marsh Community Hub in response to the pandemic in collaboration with many other orgainsations. On the 21 July 2021 the charity changed its name from the Romney Marsh Day Centre to the Romney Marsh Community Hub.
