MENTAL health service users will protest next Tuesday amid fears that Ealing’s Solace Centre will become the council’s first budget cut victim.

Protesters will gather outside Ealing Town Hall from 6pm ahead of the council’s cabinet meeting that evening.

The Solace Centre in Bowmans Close is a place for people with severe, long-term and enduring mental illness to socialise and support each other.

Open daily and out of hours, the drop-in centre has 80 members, most of whom have dual diagnoses, including conditions such as learning difficulties and substance misuse.

Dympna Bolger, 53, who is bi-polar and has been using the centre since 2001, said: "We intend on making as big a noise as possible about this.

“We, the mental health service users of Ealing, are making a stand against these ill judged and poorly-thought-out proposals."

Gerald Crossley, 37, who suffers from schizophrenia, said: “Solace is a safe environment where all feel accepted and included. Nobody has to hide their mental illness or condition.

“We are all shocked that nobody from the council has come down to see us and find out what’s offered here and to explain their reasoning for the proposed closure.

“It seems just a random axeing of a service, with monetary saving the only consideration.”

Mr Crossley suggests that shutting the centre would end up costing the council more in the long run.

He said users would be forced to seek alternative support, leading to increased hospital admissions and calls on other council services.

The proposal to close the Solace Centre is part of the wide-ranging budget reductions due for consideration at the cabinet.

Ealing says that, due to central government cuts and a growing population, they must reduce budgets by £96m by 2019.

The council released a statement which said: “As part of our budget reductions, we are currently consulting on a proposal to close the Solace Centre.

“If it goes ahead, all eligible users will receive a personal budget to buy alternative services in the voluntary sector.”

Comments about the proposed closure can be sent to Jeremy.Mulcaire@wlmht.nhs.uk The decision is expected to made in January.