A SOCIAL club for the elderly has been left without a home after suddenly being evicted from its council-owned premises.
The Tuesday Club, which has provided weekly entertainment and gatherings for the over 60s for the past five decades, met every week at Chestnuts Hall behind Waltham Forest Town Hall in Forest Road, Walthamstow, until it was asked to leave earlier this month.
The group says the council evicted it because it wants to use the space as a postal storage room, and the group has not been offered any alternative accommodation.
It is the second time recently that the group has been evicted by the council. It was previously based at a hall in Lloyd Park but was forced out three years ago ahead of renovation works there.
Frances Cocks, 75, who helps out at the club with her husband Clive, said she was worried it could close down unless a new home was found.
She said: "We're grateful that the council did let us use these facilities, but it's very sad we have nowhere else to go. They say the hall will be used for mail storage but I'm not sure if I believe that.
"It is also strange that we were only given two weeks to get out. (The council) rehoused us last time when we had to leave Lloyd Park so why can't they do the same now?”
She added that the importance of the club for its 30-odd members could not be underestimated.
She said: "We have members from Walthamstow, Chingford, all over the borough, in their 70s, 80s, even 90s and lots live alone – for many of them it's the only opportunity to socialise with other people.
"It's like a family. We have two ladies in hospital and we've organised visits to see them, and we have one lady who has a husband with Alzheimer's and it's the only real break she gets. It's very important for all of us.”
The club is being temporarily housed at a function room at the town hall social club for two weeks, but has nowhere to go next month.
If you can help with providing alternative accommodation for the club call Mrs Cocks on 0208 923 5203.
Waltham Forest Council's Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources, Business & Employment, Cllr Afzal Akram, said: “We are currently doing what we can to make the best, most practical use of our office space so that we can move staff out of rented accommodation and save the Council - and in turn the taxpayer - hundreds of thousands of pounds. Moving the post room to Chestnuts Hall is part of this work.
“While we’re sorry for the inconvenience we’ve caused the Tuesday Club, we have done what we can to give the group plenty of notice and accommodate their wishes.
"Indeed, we extended their original notice period and have offered to store their equipment on-site until after their group holiday in September so as to not cause them any unnecessary difficulties.”
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