A public meeting is to be held this evening for those affected by the expected closure of a community’s health services.

Campaigners fighting to save All Hallows Healthcare Trust have arranged the meeting, to express their “concerns and sadness” after it was announced the trust was facing closure due to financial difficulties.

The trust runs a hospital, nursing home, day care and home care services and supports 250 people each day, while the planned closure has also put 280 jobs at risk.

Jaime Larter, who has been campaigning against the closure, said: “I think everyone needs somewhere to come together and express their sadness. This gives the community the chance to console each other, talk and be there for each other.

“We need to show that our community has been really affected by this.

“No one has been given any information other than that they found out it was in trouble a year ago, so why weren’t we told?

“We could have tried to help save it and fundraiser or try to get grants, but we weren’t given the opportunity.

“There are a lot of questions that the public needs answers to.”

The meeting will be held at 5.30pm this evening (March 30) at Ditchingham Village Hall.

Mrs Larter’s father, Peter Leggett, 84, from Beccles, suffers from dementia and relies on the trust’s services, including regular home care and day care five times a week.

She said: “The media attention softened the blow when I told him because he liked seeing his face in the news and he is very proud of what we are doing, but the reality has set in now and he is devastated.

“He doesn’t understand that pretty soon he will have to leave his home.

“I cannot leave a vulnerable man at home on his own every day.

“I have told him we have to look at residential care and it is just sad that it is happening so quickly.”

Last week, John Chapman, chair of the trust, labelled the expected closure “more than sad, it is tragic.”

A petition has also been set up to showcase the public support behind saving the trust, which is also being supported by this newspaper, with more than 5,300 people backing the call.

To sign the petition, go to: www.change.org/p/andy-evans-save-all-hallows-hospital-healthcare-services-from-closure