Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum has represented older people in the borough for more than three decades and regularly runs activities and hosts events

Residents take part in the workout for the over 50s at Southbury Leisure Centre — Enfield Over 50s Forum members previously enjoyed concessionary rates at local leisure centres but this ended last year

Enfield Borough Over 50s Forum (EBOFF) is consulting its members on whether it should close down after revealing that it “no longer has enough money” to continue its activities.

The forum has been running for more than three decades and, under the leadership of the late Monty Meth, became one of the most active older people’s groups in the whole of London.

Monty died in 2021 and the forum has since struggled to attract new members, nor enough new volunteers.

A decision last year by Enfield leisure centres operator Better to end concessionary rates for forum members has also contributed, as this was one of the key perks of membership.

In late 2024 the forum ran an appeal for new volunteers, including a feature in the Dispatch. Although this seemed to have a positive impact in the short-term, a newsletter published this month strongly suggests that the organisation needs to close down.

Addressing forum members in the newsletter, EBOFF secretary Tony Watts says: “The combination of the Covid shutdown, the end of discounts for our members at the council leisure centres and the lack of alternative funding sources, means we no longer have enough money to continue our activities.”

A meeting is now due to be held at 10.30am on Tuesday, 31st March, at Enfield Civic Centre. At this meeting a motion proposing to shut the forum down will be voted on. Should two-thirds of those present support it, EBOFF will be formally closed.

Writing for the Dispatch in October 2024, forum trustee Vicki Pite explained why the group continued to be important. She wrote: “We campaign to help older people lead happier, healthier lives and to ensure that everyone in the borough is treated fairly by the council, local health and transport bodies, as well as national government.

“Successful campaigns have included extending the 307 bus into the grounds of Barnet Hospital; working with the council on community toilet and ‘shopmobility’ schemes and faster pavement repairs; stopping the use of expensive 0844 numbers by GP surgeries; and helping to save Southgate Orchestra.”

One of the forum’s long-running campaigns, spearheaded by Monty Meth, was for the borough to receive ‘fair funding’ from government, particularly around public health. This eventually proved successful with Enfield’s historic under-funding finally being addressed ahead of the new financial year in April.

The EBOFF newsletter adds that its social events team will continue to organise activities “no matter what happens”.

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