It was with absolute outrage I discovered Bexley Council for Racial Equality (BCRE) has not received funding and may now be under threat of closure.

I am totally at a loss to understand how this can be allowed to happen in a borough such as Bexley, where many ethnic minorities have suffered by the direct action of organised racist groups.

Historically, Bexley has been targeted by fascist race-hate groups. BCRE and, specifically, its director, Jeanette Haider, were a major influence in securing the removal of these racists and have also been central in community cohesion action.

The BCRE and its dedicated staff provide an absolutely essential service to all people living within Bexley. Mrs Haider has put BCRE on the map and has personally secured funding for essential staff, giving up most evenings and many weekends.

She has organised the wonderful Connections anti-racist festivals and the Black History Month exhibition.

The list of BCRE’s work in this field is exhaustive: individual support, provision of essential information and advice, crucial race equality within schools, educating children through thoughtful, well-planned, appropriate and inclusive means, direct work with advice and information to all community groups and so on.

BCRE has developed successful links with the police and organised a desperately-needed support network for refugees which provides practical help in crises.

Local churches fully support Mrs Haider and the BCRE and, indeed, have networked to support people who have suffered the most horrific “ethnic cleansing”.

All of this is absolutely vital in combating racism on all its levels. None of us has forgotten the murders of Rohit Dougal and Stephen Lawrence.

I can predict the rise in Bexley of racist groups and their hateful rants and actions if the BCRE is forced to close because of lack of funding.

We in Bexley are fully behind Mrs Haider and her staff. I am a Bexley resident and will be joining with friends and colleagues, many from the Sikh and Muslim communities, to demonstrate, petition and publicise in the local and national Press this disgraceful disregard of an essential service.

Pat Loughton Collindale Avenue Erith