AGE UK Waverley, which has served the borough for more than 25 years, shut its doors last Friday, signalling the end of an era for a former pillar of the community.

The branch, which operated from Rowleys Centre for the Community,Cranleigh, is one of many smaller offices that have closed as part of a cost-cutting drive nationally to make the charity more centralised.

Age UK Waverley also took a direct hit in 2015/16 when Waverley Borough Council axed its grant of £20,309 the previous year to help fund its information and advice service on the grounds it no longer offered value for money, because its service was duplicated by other organisations and was not provided evenly across the borough.

The branch warned at the time the council’s “swingeing attack” could endanger the charity’s other services and its gardening and handyman service supported by Surrey County Council.

A statement posted on its website following the closure, said: “Age UK Waverley has decided to focus on its role as a local service for Cranleigh and surrounding areas and is no longer a Brand Partner of Age UK.

“The organisation will ensure Rowleys Centre for the Community continues for the benefit of older people in the Cranleigh and surrounding areas and is forming a new committee to continue this important service.

“Age UK wishes Rowleys Centre for the Community well and would like to thank all its staff and volunteers who work to improve the lives of older people in the local area.”

Three members of staff were made redundant when the branch closed.

Senior manager Kathy Slade, who set up the gardening support service which now helps 400 clients across the borough, said: “Losing Age UK brand partnership, which meant losing central money and support, was part of the move to merge smaller branches and was a big thing for us.

“It means more money goes to the big offices, rather than lots to the little offices.

“It’s sad it means the end of an era but other agencies are now doing what we were doing. I’d like to thank our former committee chairmen Kay and Mike Newnham for everything they have done for us for so many years and especially all their fund-raising efforts.”

A borough council spokesman said: “Waverley is the major funder of Rowleys Centre for the Community in Cranleigh, which sits within Age UK Waverley.

“The council is hugely committed to the current and future success of the Rowleys Centre and in 2015/16 increased their funding by 16 per cent to £55,000.

“While many other councils have reduced their funding to voluntary and community organisations Waverley has protected these budgets and in 2016/17 agreed to continue to fund Rowleys Centre at the same level in recognition of the popularity of the venue.

“The closure of Age UK Waverley relates to Age UK England’s decision to withdraw its brand partnership and because the service it offers duplicates those provided by Age UK Surrey.

“So that Waverley residents can access key services, in 2016/17 the council awarded Age UK Surrey with a grant of £15,000 so that it can extend and enhance its existing outreach information and advice service as well as building partnerships to support older, vulnerable residents in the borough.”