Age UK in Canterbury says it is refocussing efforts on outreach services for its elderly clients across the city in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

Usually around 40 pensioners visit the centre in Castle Row every day, many bussed in by the charity, but that number is already falling as they choose to stay at home.

Chief officer Dr Neil Brown said: "It's a fast moving picture but it seems likely that elderly people will be told to stay at home and, consequently, we are changing our approach to continue offering support for them.

"Up to 70 people have lunch at the centre every day but we will now expand our delivery service to ensure they can have a hot meal at home.

"We will also be making daily welfare telephone calls to them to make sure they OK and check if they need anything."

"We also run footcare clinics, hairdressing services and a dementia day centre but they will have to stop if our clients cannot come in to us.

"Our approach needs to be flexible and our staff and volunteers will instead be focussed on supporting our clients in their own homes as much as possible.

"Unfortunately, they will miss the social aspect of coming to the centre which is very important to many of them. And we will miss them being here because we are like one big family.

"But we have to do what's best to keep them safe."

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