A CHARITY has vowed to 'explore every opportunity' to help secure the future of an over 50s group, amid fears that it could fold when council funding ends next year.

The Darlington branch of the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) is in line to take over responsibility for the Growing Older Living in Darlington (Gold) group.

Darlington Borough Council will stop providing funding for Gold on March 31, three years after warning that financial help for the group would dry up.

A report has been prepared for members of the council's cabinet, ahead of a meeting next week.

Members are being asked to allow officers to continue working on the transfer of Gold into CAB hands.

The report, from director of commissioning Murray Rose, also recommends that members agree the following: "If the transfer to Darlington CAB is unsuccessful, that the Gold service be terminated as of March 31, to achieve the budget savings set out."

Discussions are ongoing between the two parties to transfer Gold into CAB hands outright, rather than have the charity run the group on behalf of the council.

The council would have no further involvement with Gold.

Any transfer would be suitable to the CAB being able to secure alternative funding to continue the work of Gold.

Hazel Thompson, project manager for Darlington CAB, told The Northern Echo: "We are exploring every funding opportunity that is out there and we have potential irons in the fire.

"On the proviso that it gets through cabinet, we will be moving a lot of things forward as far as Gold is concerned.

"We want to help Gold remain a viable organisation within the town."

No one from Gold was available for comment.

The group aims to provide a voice for older people in the town, including those who may be vulnerable, frail or lonely.

Its activities have included arranging tea dances and Christmas parties.

After the issue of Gold losing funding was raised, as part of the council's 2012/13 medium term financial plan, the authority conducted an 'equalities impact assessment' in which service users and potential service users were consulted.

Dozens of comments were received, the majority in support of Gold's work.

One read: "We all need Gold, otherwise the status quo falls apart. It's just the tip of the iceberg, what's next to go.

"We can afford Gold if all the 'too highly-paid officials' would take a pay cut."

The cabinet meets at 5pm on Tuesday (November 4), at the town hall.