An Epping Forest charity is set to run its final event after having its funding cut earlier this year.

Home-Start Epping Forest is due to close its doors at the end of August after 24 years' service in the area.

The charity has provided help to 1,100 families with young children and continues to support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their family.

Funding was lost after grants from Essex County Council (ECC) and the West Essex Clinical Commission Group (WECCG) expired.

The charity will celebrate almost a quarter of a century in the county on July 30, by hosting a ‘last luncheon’ for the families they have helped.

Home-Start trustee Ann Haigh said: “We are obviously very sad but we want to celebrate with all the families we have worked with.

“We will provide a lunch and some activities for the children and the mothers can enjoy the company of each other."

“The volunteers are not just volunteers, they are a credit to Home-Start and they have befriended the individuals they have helped, if we had the funding we would keep going.