“When the community was thriving, Brenner had over 100 people attending the day centre each day,” explained Neil Taylor, Jewish Care’s director of care and community services. “With changing demographics, membership has significantly reduced.”
Some of the 70 or so who remain do not attend on a regular basis. Attendances have dropped to just over two dozen on Tuesdays — and less than a handful on Fridays.
However, there will still be a community presence in the Stamford Hill building as special needs charity Kisharon has signed an 18-month lease to take over its management and will continue to operate its Hackney Community College and adult day services on the site.
Jewish Care recorded a deficit of £500,000 for services in the region last year, £370,000 of which was down to Brenner. The changes are expected to reduce the deficit by £200,000.
Plans for the revised provision include a day centre on Tuesdays somewhere in Hackney, transport for Brenner members to Stepney and developing outreach services such as meals on wheels and befriending. There will be extended opening at the Stepney building, reflecting client requests for activities on evenings and weekends — times where they feel particularly lonely or isolated.
Mr Taylor said the review of services had demonstrated a need for action. “These changes will both enable us to invest more into outreach services and extended day-centre opening while reducing the deficit we have in east London.”
Jewish Care was committed “to meeting the needs of this shrinking and ageing community”.
