THE DIRECTOR of a vital charity which helps dozens of old people says they have been let down by funding cuts to day centres.

Sheena Glass, founder of the Glasgow Old People's Welfare Association (GOPWA) said she has been left with no choice but to close two of her day centres and make dozens of staff redundant.

As reported in the Evening Times, the Donald Dewar Centre and the Gatehouse facility in Temple are to close on September 30.

It comes after Glasgow City Council allocated around £1m less funding to community groups than they applied for, forcing them to reassess what they can provide for communities.

12 of the 24 groups which applied were approved for funding, and cash for all lunch clubs is to be sustained at its current level.

Sheena Glass: "It has been very difficult. When we decided to tender for the new sum, we got it all in and then we were told it was being withdrawn and they were moving to the lower levels of care -with the Integrated Grants Funding (IGF).

"What we have asked for has been slashed as well. There is no money, we can't keep going.

"I have been in touch with all parties councillors form the beginning. I've never really had any help from any of them and now I've got councillors and MSPs wanting to help but it's too little too late."

Sheena said the problems stem from the day centre charges introduced by the council in 2014, which dried up referrals to her centres and reduced their income.

She explained: "As a tax payer, why is this money being taken from a charity who, as far as I'm concerned, are doing the job much better than the council?

"As a charity, we don't carry lots of money. The result is that we've had a big hole made in our funds to the tune of around £180,000.

"We can't carry on like that, we're severely in the red."

Sheena has warned that the impact of her centres slowing will be devastating on both the staff who worked there and the people in the local communities which they serve.

She said: "There is a very loyal staff, who have mortgages and bills to pay.

"There are going to be lots of old people who just don't have family nearby who will be sitting at home alone all day.

"Glasgow is called the 'Caring City' but the way the council is acting is not caring."

Bosses at charity the Dixon Community, based in Cathcart, have also called an urgent meeting with councillors including the council leader Frank McAveety following the funding announcement.

The charity says it has been "left in a critical financial situation arising from the proposed IGF funding." and are due to meet with service users and carers next month to discuss what to do.

Glasgow city council said it had to make the decision

At a meeting earlier this week the council's administration defended the decision and said groups which have had funding rejected or cut short have been supported by officers.

Councillor Soryia Siddique explained: "All applicants have been informed of the total level of funding and the probability that if they were to receive funding it probably wouldn't be the amounts they requested.

"Officers have been meeting with all the organisations who currently receive funding.

"Discussions include what plans organisations are making to adapt to this changing environment.

"Although in most cases they are not receiving funding they have applied for, they have been made aware they will have flexibility around how they intend to deliver services using the funding."