A charity which provides Christmas cheer for lonely people with mental health problems has been shunned for funding for a second year running.

But a company has stepped into the breach for the second year running.

Fircroft Trust opens the doors to its Surbiton headquarters each year with Christmas dinner and games.

It used to receive about £3,000 from NHS Kingston for about 10 years to fund staff and transport for the festive period.

But this year the health authority has said the current economic climate has left it unable to help.

Fircroft chief executive Kay Harris said: “Some people don’t have any families so they would be on their own. It can be a very horrible, lonely time of year.

“I have sent a couple of emails to NHS Kingston. They haven’t replied which is a bit of a shame.

“They control the mental health budget for the community so I do think they have a responsibility to look at what happens at Christmas. Maybe they have got something else happening they haven’t told us about.”

A spokesman for NHS Kingston said it gave money to the trust’s Eco-op gardening project.

She said: “However, as a commissioner of health services we are not in a position to respond to this one off funding request for Christmas day opening - this is the same position that we adopted last year. “In the past we have made donations to our colleagues in the charitable sector whenever possible but the current financial situation in the NHS makes us less able to do so.”

Last year staff from Brand Learning, a marketing and learning consultancy in Hampton Wick, donated money to keep the centre in Ditton Road open in the run-up to Christmas.

Staff volunteered their time playing board games with clients at Fircroft as well as serving lunch on Christmas Day and organising a secret Santa.

The company has stepped forward again this year to perform a similar feat.

If you can help keep the centre open at Christmas for people with mental health problems and learning difficulties call Fircroft Trust on 020 8399 1772.