I went to a meeting in Market Drayton on March 29, attended by Jack Collier, corporate director of Shropshire social services, to hear about the impending withdrawal of financial support for day care at Coverage Care homes including Woodcroft in Market Drayton.

The first many people in Market Drayton knew of this, including the town council and a registered agency involved in care, was through the local press.

What came out of the meeting was that 24 elderly people with day care places at Woodcroft would be offered other places including places at the Bradbury Day Centre in Whitchurch.

Woodcroft, however, is not just a day centre. It offers full-time and respite residential care as well. Many people who use the day centre facilities also take advantage of the respite care facility at different times in relation to need.

For many local families involved in caring for elderly relatives Woodcroft is seen as the best place in the local area. The official plan is that day care at Woodcroft will continue to be available at a cost of £25 a day and £9.50 for an assisted bath.

Also to be taken into account are people who attend Woodcroft for day care who also receive care at home. What provision will be made for the additional care they will need at home if they are unable to travel to Whitchurch?

It is predicted that the number of people over 65 who will need care provision in Shropshire by 2021 will rise by 35 per cent. The plan to end day care at Woodcroft appears to me to be very shortsighted.

Suzanne Edwards, Market Drayton