A Dover drop-in centre for people with health problems is to close and be replaced with an “outreach” service.

Dover’s Shaw Trust Centre in the High Street is set to close over the next few months after nine years.

The new system will mean staff visiting people on a one-to-one basis which, the centre says, will be a better method of support and will help to get people back into work.

But volunteer Wayne Pritchard has sent protest emails to Dover and Deal MP Gwyn Prosser, Health Secretary Alan Johnson and other political leaders.

Mr Pritchard said: “We were told this restructuring is happening all over the county. It may work across the county but it will not work here.”

A Shaw Trust spokesman said: “Mental health services in the Dover area are in the process of being restructured to ensure greater social inclusion.

“While Shaw Trust’s Dover centre will close, the service will continue with the same level of funding but with more modern ways of providing support that will get more people back into work. “

• See the Mercury on Thursday for both sides of the argument. And have your say at mercurynews@thekmgroup.co.uk