A CASH windfall has been welcomed by a charity working with needy women in Worcestershire.

The Asha Centre, in London Road, Worcester, has won a £9,735 grant from the Lloyds TSB Foundations.

The women-only centre offers its users easy, immediate and confidential access to a range of community services.

Some of the women may be recovering from substance or alcohol abuse or may be women offenders or those at risk of offending.

The grant will be put towards paying the salary of a centre administrator whose tasks include booking clients and providing information.

"We're very grateful to Lloyds TSB Foundations for this vital grant," said Jane Gallagher, centre manager.

"The number of women who use our services is growing all the time and we like to provide each and every one of them with the resources and support they need," she said.

Karen Argyle, regional manager for Lloyds TSB Foundations, said it had been happy to help out.

"We are thrilled to have been able to help the Asha Centre in its goals to benefit disadvantaged women and enable them to access resources that will help them reach their potential," she said.

Last year the Lloyds TSB Foundations received £33m to distribute to registered charities throughout the UK.

It receives one per cent of Lloyd TSB Group's pre-tax profits - averaged over three years - in lieu of its shareholder dividend.