A charity which has been helping the community for nearly 85 years is set to disband.

The Rotary Club of Sittingbourne and Milton will hold its last meeting at Hempstead House in London Road, Bapchild on Tuesday.

The organisation will then be officially wound up on Sunday, June 30, once the final funds are allocated to good causes.

President of Sittingbourne and Milton Rotary Club, Dennis Taylor, said the decision followed a lack of volunteers for the organisation's top roles.

Mr Taylor, who has been president twice since joining the Sittingbourne branch, said it will be an emotional time for members.

He said: “It’s very sad, if you think about it we’ve supported a few groups and charities.

“The more members we have the more we can fundraise and get the money needed.

“We organise functions between ourselves and then use that money to support people and organisations in the local area as much as we can.

“At the moment we can’t seem to keep it going.”

The group was set up in the 1930s but disbanded briefly during the Second World War, reforming in 1946.

A handful of the remaining 15 members of the organisation will be introduced to the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta.

Causes which have benefited from the work of the charity include Demelza Hospice Care for Children, Kent’s air ambulance, homeless charity Porchlight, Sittingbourne Museum in East Street, and many others.

The group has also helped to buy pushchairs for mums in need and contributed to foreign aid packages, shipped abroad to help developing countries.

Mr Taylor, 83, added: “I want to say thank you to the public of Sittingbourne for supporting us as they have and we shall be saying thank you to our older members for their time.

“We’re down to very small numbers and can’t get people to take office.

“We can’t keep this up forever.”

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