A WELL-USED social club for people recovering from mental illness could close for lack of funding.

The Spanners group, based at St John’s Church Hall, in Church Lane, Loughton, has helped hundreds of adults become more integrated in the community since it was set up in 1998.

It offers a meeting place for people with mental health issues, and offers games and sports facilities.

Charity Action in Mental Health (AIM), which operates the centre, has struggled to maintain it since Essex County Council and the NHS withdrew funding in the summer of last year, and it has now said it may have to close.

The charity's chairman of trustees Hazel Fox said: “Trustees and volunteers have been working very hard to locate new funders to support the development of Spanners and AIM. Sadly success has eluded us so far and time and funds are now short. We hope that additional funding may yet be found and would welcome any ideas or help which can be given. The alternative is to see our services having to close later in the summer”.

William Long, of Lushes Road, Loughton, whose son Michael attends Spanners, said: “Twenty-five people use that centre for table tennis, pool, and snooker. Once that's gone what will people do? “When people go to Spanners they go for three or four hours at a time and it gives their carers a rest. It helps them as much as it helps the mentally ill.”

The news comes eight months after mental health drop-in centre Roding House, in Victoria Road, Buckhurst Hill, was closed by the county council.

The future of Spanners will be discussed at AIM's annual meeting tomorrow, Wednesday May 19, starting at 6pm at St John’s Church Hall.