COMMUNITY groups and charities from across Malvern and beyond will be congregating at Malvern Theatres next weekend.

The occasion is the Grand Combined Charity Fair, organised by Community Action and taking place in The Forum on Saturday, November 3.

The event offers groups from the Malvern district the chance to raise their own profiles and funds for their cause. A wide range of needs will be represented at the show, from the Guides to Cats Protection.

Diane Bellamy, from Community Action, said that she was expecting several thousand people to turn out.

"We sold nearly three thousand programmes last year," she said.

"We get comments that it's a lovely day, it's very much a community event. It's a good opportunity to get little gifts for Christmas as well!"

Among the groups taking part is ARCOS, the Malvern based Association for Rehabilitation of Communication and Oral Skills. They will be displaying information about their work with patients who have speech and language difficulties, as well as selling products.

Also taking party is Malvern Women's Refuge Support. The group has attended for the past three years. This year their stall will include details of the work they do with abused women, as well as fundraising.

"We've got a stall where we are selling home made produce, jams, cakes, biscuits," said Audrey Higley, said support group spokesman, "I think we raised over £200 last year and it all goes into the fund we have to provide all the extras for the children and the women that standard funds don't."