THE Red Cross is desperately looking for a new home for its medical loan service in Petersfield following the closure of the Readon Close centre.
The Red Cross shut the doors of the Hampshire County Council-owned building recently because it was no longer safe to work there.
Felicity Liebmann, administration manager for the Hampshire branch of the Red Cross said: "We did not consider the building was safe for either the general public or our volunteers to use and it will shortly be boarded up."
The recent wet weather was the final straw for the building, which needed major repairs to the roof. Rainwater was leaking into the centre, causing problems with the electricity.
It has meant a major problem for centre organiser Pam Robson, who is frantically looking for a new room so that the much-used medical loan service can be continued.
"This is a real problem," said Mrs Liebmann, "because last year more than 1,000 items, including wheelchairs, walking frames and commodes, were loaned to people in the town. It is a very well used service and at the moment we are having to refer them to the Waterlooville centre, which is our nearest outlet."
All the equipment in the Petersfield Red Cross Centre has had to be returned to Winchester until a new home is found.
The Red Cross is appealing for help to find an easily-accessible large room, on the ground floor in the centre of Petersfield, so that the medical loan service can resume.
Mrs Liebmann stressed that the Red Cross wanted to maintain its presence in Petersfield.
"We will do our best to maintain a presence in the town and all the other services run at the centre in Readon Close are being organised from people's homes," she told The Herald. The key services are transport and escort, therapeutic care, first aid and first aid training and the tracing and message service.
Anyone who can help the Red Cross find accommodation for the medical loan service should call Edwin Ingleton on 01962-844377 or Pam Robson on 01428-723732.