Teignmouth Community Hub faces closure without urgent funding

A vital community hub in Teignmouth that has supported vulnerable and elderly residents since the late 1970s is at risk of closure unless significant funding can be secured.
The Alice Cross Centre provides a wide range of activities and support services, including a memory café for those with dementia and their carers, lunch clubs, grief support, line dancing, yoga, and youth drama groups.
Managers say the centre, which many rely on as a lifeline, is now in a critical financial position due to rising costs and a reduction in available grant funding.
Jenny Jenkins, a regular at the centre, explained its importance: “We would be very lonely and isolated because I am a full-time carer as well, so I am having to do things that I hate, and coming here, I can forget all my worries. That really is what Alice Cross has done for me.”
Pamela Martin, another visitor, shared a similar sentiment: “It’s my life now because I can’t leave my husband’s side. He can’t be left alone for a minute. It’s a great help. It’s something we look forward to all the time, and we have friends here, you know. It’s always happy like this. This has not just been put on for you. It’s always like this, it’s happy, you know, it’s lovely.”
The centre was established in 1978 and has become a cornerstone of the community, particularly for Teignmouth’s aging population.
However, the financial situation is dire. Andy Langford, Chair of Trustees, explained: “Day-to-day running costs are going up and up all the time. Fuel bills, food bills, salaries, etc., they have to be found.
“The last two years have seen us operate at a loss of over thirty thousand pounds. We are reliant upon quite a lot of grant funding. As we know, everybody’s after grant funding and grants are now being shared more and more widely with less and less amounts.”
The centre currently requires an additional £5,000 to £8,000 each month to cover costs. Without this, they risk having to cut staff and reduce services. At the current rate, funds may run out by mid-2025.
To combat the crisis, the centre has launched a campaign called “Give a Little, Help a Lot,” urging locals to make regular donations. These funds are critical to maintaining programs such as the meals prepared and delivered to residents’ homes.
Volunteer Janet Oettl highlighted the value of this service: “I can only speak from the cooking side, but I think food does connect people, doesn’t it? And we send out a lot of food to other people who are then really happy to get it, you know, warm food, and they also feel connected to us then.”
Peta Howell, a volunteer said: “This centre is vital. It’s a really vital resource for Teignmouth, especially for older people. We are a centre for everyone, but our focus is sort of on the over-50s, because Teignmouth’s population is aging, and the services are only going to get more needed actually.”