LETTER: Met by blanket of silence

I also wrote to the registered office of the RVS a month ago and still await a reply, as does a friend of mine. He is still a ‘member’ and wrote at the time of the closure in August – he even provided a SAE and the RVS have not had the courtesy to acknowledge!

It is not only the scandalous way that the whole business was handled at the time of the closure of the Russell Centre that bothers me, but how there has been absolutely no communication to the club members, or groups for that matter, since.

My mother and her friend have been members for many years, duly paying the annual subscription which, albeit a nominal sum, covers a year’s membership. My mother is a paid-up member until April of 2017 – the centre closed it’s doors in August giving the impression that alternative venues were being sought. However, as I stated earlier, no further communication has been made.

Is the charity still looking for other venues, is it intending to cancel the membership or does it just intend to carry on with this blanket of silence?

I note a report in the Herald [November 18] states a revised planning application has been submitted to knock down the centre and build flats. Surely this whole business comes back to profiteering and not looking after the local needs of the elderly. While it has been suggested that the Venton Centre can address this, I feel that this is a cop out. It is smaller, more expensive and would not be able to cope if all were to frequent there.

With a growing elderly population, is it too much to ask for somewhere the size of Eastbourne to be able to offer two community venues giving specific services and meeting points for the elderly, and associated clubs? Surely everyone is entitled to have a choice? As for the RVS, I am disgusted that an organisation holding charitable status such as this, and promoting the value of the elderly in society, can behave in such a fashion.

Caroline Lucas

Church Road Herstmonceux

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.eastbourneherald.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eastbourne.herald

3 Follow us on Twitter @Eastbournenews

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Eastbourne Herald - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.