TEARS were shed as workers delivered meals to elderly people across the district for the last time yesterday.

The women who deliver meals on wheels, together with their colleagues at the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service centre in Langston Road, Loughton, were made redundant, as the charity pulled out of the town.

Meals will now be delivered from a base near Basildon and cooked in a heated van on the 40-minute drive to towns and villages in the district.

Elaine Griffiths, 54, who worked for the charity for seven years, said: “Without exception, people on our rounds have been in tears.

“Over the years, we have got to know people and we know their friends, relatives and even their dogs and cats.

“It was upsetting for us as well, as they’re people we have built a friendship with.

“People have said to us that they don’t want strangers turning up at their doors.”

The former manager of the centre, Christine Corpe, 49, who was there for 20 years, said: “I’m worried about the old people. They don’t like change.

“There were 40 of us there and most of us had been there for 10 years or more, so it was a nice little branch.”

Eric Wackett, 88, of Waltham Abbey, has been using meals on wheels for three years.

He said he had received his meal on time from the new staff today, but would miss those who used to deliver it.

“The girls before were very good,” he added. “They used to stay and have a chat. They were quite efficient today, but they didn’t have time to talk.”

The charity said when it announced the closure of the Loughton branch in June that it was being forced to leave because the district council would not lease it the Langston Road premises any more, but the women believe another venue was offered.

The head of food services at the volunteer service, Janet Lawrenson, said the Loughton kitchen was closed three months before the end of the lease so all the equipment there could be moved in time.

“All the operational aspects of the service have now moved to Pitsea as there were no suitable or alternative cost-effective premises available in the Loughton area,” she added.

“All WRVS representatives are briefed to ensure they introduce themselves and update customers on changes to their services.”