A CENTRE for vulnerable women threated with closure, is facing a brighter future.

The Asha Centre, in London Road, Worcester is used by 100 women each week, who take part in a range of courses to help them develop confidence, social skills and job prospects.

But a difficult summer almost saw the centre - which costs around £200,000 a year to run - shut down.

Now trustees of the charity have said they are very much "back in business" and are urging women to continue using the centre.

Chairman of trustees Jenny Roberts, who helped set up the centre in 2002, said: "We had to stop all referrals in August because of the money situation. But our funds are now restored to the level they would normally be. We have six months operational spending in front of us which is what we would normally have. So the good news now is that we are back in business."

Asha has been given cash from the Government, Worcestershire County Council and a variety of charities. They also had help from private donors, staff at the centre held a bring-and-buy sale which raised £600 and the owner of the building reduced the centre's rent.

"So all of this really is a reflection of how highly Asha is valued locally and nationally," said Mrs Roberts.

"The news we were close to closure was devastating for staff here. There was a point in August when if money didn't come in within a week, then we I would have had to make staff redundant. But that very same week enough of it came in, which was such a relief.

"We are doing something very important here and there is a lot of woman who need our help. But we have realised we can't rely solely on charities and trusts. We have to secure more long term funding from other places."

To use the centre women must be referred by other agencies, such as health, probabtion, and other voluntary organisations.

In March, the centre was praised in a government report as a model of how to treat women offenders.

The centre now hopes to have its full range of courses and other activities running from January 2008.

For details on Asha and the course programme, contact 01905 767552.