A scheme to rejuvenate villages and rural communities is looking for more people to help in and around the Malvern area.

The Vital Villages project has helped people in rural communities set up everything from post offices to cyber-cafes by providing support, expert advice and Government grants.

The project, which is run by the Warwickshire and Worcestershire Rural Retail Partnership and has a base in Malvern, is appealing for people in rural areas that have been blighted with lack of facilities to come forward with proposals.

If a proposal satisfies its criteria, funding will be given to get it off the ground.

"There has to be a need for it in the community, it has to be proven that the community would support it and it has to involve money changing hands," said scheme co-ordinator Sharon Ham.

"For example, we recently helped a community near Evesham set up their own village shop and post office, after the closure of shops nearby had left them severely inconvenienced.

"After a lot of consultation, and when they had managed to raise a certain proportion of the funds needed for the project, we gave them a grant to set it up.

"It created one permanent position at the shop, running the post office counter, and 28 other people have volunteered to help run it.

"The villagers raised the money by selling shares in the business, so it's in everybody's interests to use it."

For more information about the scheme, ring Karen Humphries on 01684 573 334 or write to the Warwickshire and Worcestershire Rural Retail Partnership at Station Approach, Malvern, Worcs WR14 3AU.