Related Links A petition - both in paper and here online - has been raised campaigning against the closure. Council Agrees Proposals To Save £15 million Participate Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Comment on this story on the

"The people who attend the Chiswick Day Care Centre are the people who saved this country from World War Two," writes Pauline Hart. "They spent years working hard rebuilding this country back. They lived in bombed homes, on rationing and small wages."

The Day Centre on Bridge Street [behind Sainsbury's] provides care for elderly residents or senior citizens as Pauline prefers them to be called.

"If the Day Centre is closed they will sit most of the day ALONE. Most of them are unable to go out without help, so they will have no one to talk to, no reason to get washed and dressed. NO hairdresser, NO stimulation they will get sad, depessed and will live a very lonely life," she says adding "The Day Centre is a vital service for our older people we must fight to keep the Chiswick Day Care open. One day we will be old."

Best known for her Pensioners Alone at Christmas charity work, Pauline has worked and continues to work tirelessly with the senior citizens within the Chiswick community.

"I was a Home Care Manager and saw many people die after Christmas because they were alone which is why I started Pensioners Alone at Christmas which I have held in The Day Centre for 26 years, if it is closed all the 60 Senior Citizens who attend the party will just sit at home ALONE.
The Council have said Chiswick will close but they will keep Heston."

One of the issues facing the Day Centre is that fact that people can only attend if they have been assessed by a Social Worker. "There are many people who need to go to the Centre but have never been offered this opportunity because they do not have a Social Worker," explains Pauline.

A petition - both in paper and online http://petitions.hounslow.gov.uk/chisdaycentre/- has been raised campaigning against the closure.

In a letter to the Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Paul Lynch wrote: "It is a very drastic change to impose upon vulnerable older people, particularly those needing Dementia day support service. I know from personal experience that Dementia sufferers have huge problems with change. I have seen such changes worsen sufferers’ condition to the extent that they can no longer live independently, and need to move into residential placements. It is possible that the cost of extra residential placements could negate the proposed saving."

The final decision will not be made until 1st March.

February 12, 2011