(Image: Age UK)
A charity has praised the public for their “tremendous” support during financial difficulties.
Age UK North Yorkshire and Darlington said it has been “overwhelmed” by donations and help from the community, who have rallied together after learning that the independent charity is facing financial difficulty, despite carrying the national Age UK name.
The charity, based at Bradbury House in Darlington, delivers more than 900 meals a month to older people in their homes and runs around 250 day care sessions each month.
It also welcomes around 500 people to clubs and activities each month and serves more than 1,000 people each month at its Bradbury House café.
Fay Scullion, chief executive of Age UK North Yorkshire and Darlington told the Northern Echo: "We have had a tremendous response from the community - from other charities to people walking in from the street.
"Once the community realised that, although we carry the Age UK name, we are actually small and independent, people have responded so well.
"We still need that support, but things like using our café, using us as a function venue for their events, using our meals services - it all helps us so much.
"We are not out of the woods, we need to maintain this every month.
"The response in the last three weeks has just been overwhelming."
The charity has received various donations from the community, including a £5,000 donation from Lions Club International and a man who walked in from the street to donate £5,000.
The charity have expressed their gratitude to those, and everyone who has donated fiver or ten pounds where they could, describing their generosity as a real lifeline.
Ms Scullion said the charity will mark its 40th anniversary next year and has also received strong backing from the local council, which has extended its day care contract for two years.
She said: "It's still quite difficult, nobody wants us to go anywhere."
Financial reviews are taking place monthly as the charity works to sustain the recent momentum.
Ms Scullion said: "If we maintain the momentum we've had in the last three weeks, we'll be safe.
"But we can't take our foot off the pedal, we can't afford that.
She said the charity has been especially moved by donations from people in deprived areas.
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Ms Scullion said: "We've had the skydives, we've got a member who runs a gym, he is doing a sponsored assault course, we've got someone walking 40k for Age UK for us being here for 40 years, someone's doing a sponsored swim and others doing sponsored events."
"We are just so, so thankful to the community."
"We're doing everything we can."
Every penny donated will remain with the local branch.