North Kirklees Mind is closing after more than 30 years in Dewsbury. The closure is expected to cause nine redundancies and could force more than 180 members to travel to Huddersfield for help.

North Kirklees Mind, based on Old Westgate, is a social drop-in centre where people with mental health problems can find a safe space and a listening ear.

It runs self-help groups and counselling sessions, as well as help with practical problems such as filling in forms and arranging bill payments. But from April 1, mental health provision in North Kirklees will instead be provided by Huddersfield-based service Depression Anxiety Self-Help (DASH).

And members of North Kirklees Mind claim this would further isolate vulnerable people who cannot travel out of the area for help.

Andrew Batley, vice-chairman of North Kirklees Mind's executive committee, said the service was left with no funding from Kirklees Primary Care Trust (PCT) after the tendering process changed.

He said: "They broke our service up for people to bid for and we were unsuccessful in getting any of this bid.

"Taking this service away will leave a lot of people vulnerable."

Mr Batley, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, said North Kirklees Mind had helped change his life.

He said: "I was homeless and they helped me out with accommodation and helping me get through the benefit process."

And he said intakes at Dewsbury and District Hospital's Priestley Unit, for mental health patients, would inevitably rise when the Mind centre closed.

Long-term Mind member Phil Smith, who suffers from depression and anxiety problems, said he would not be able to travel to Huddersfield to access services.

He said: "I have been a member of Mind for 21 years and I find this disgusting. I know people in the same situation as me who can't travel.

"I wouldn't be able to get to Huddersfield at all. Once I got there I would be stuck because I don't like big cities – that's part of my illness."

Vicky Dutchburn, Kirklees PCT's assistant director of commissioning and strategic development, said the change in the daycare provision was driven by national legislation and the new services would be offered around the district, not just in Huddersfield.

She said: "Service users, mental health workers and other partners were consulted as part of the review and were asked what they wanted from day services. The feedback was day services were not meeting the needs of users. Unfortunately, North Kirklees Mind was not successful in securing one of the new mental health service contracts to provide self-help and wellbeing services for people with mental health concerns."

She said the new support services would include opportunities for employment, creative arts projects, self-help and exercise groups and an advice service.

She said: "All services will be available throughout the district as well as in a number of community settings.