A community transport service for the elderly and disabled has been given a grant by Malvern Hills District Council.

Shoparound has received £625 from the Community Grants scheme.

The service, which has been run by Malvern and District Community Action since 1986, provides a minibus to collect people from their homes to take them to shopping centres including Worcester, Pershore and Tewkesbury.

It also provides escorts to help people with their shopping.

Community Action manager Diane Bellamy said: "We were very pleased to get the grant. It's always a struggle to find funding, but this will ensure that our Shoparound service can keep going.

"It's especially important at this time of year when people are thinking of going Christmas shopping."

"We know the service is appreciated, from the feed back we get from the people who use it," said Mrs Bellamy.

The organisation was one of 45 community groups to receive a share of £20,000 from the annual Community Grants scheme.

Other were: 1st Malvern Company Boys' Brigade, £250; Alfrick and Lulsley Parish Council, £1,000; Autumn in Malvern Festival, £750; Borrowers Toy Library, £375; Church of the Ascension, £750; Home-Start Malvern Hills, £120; Little Malvern and Welland Parish Council, £375; Longdon Village Hall, £750; Malvern Development Education Centre, £750; Malvern Fringe Arts, £750; Malvern Rugby Football Club, £250; Malvern Wells Village Hall, £250; MRFC Youth Development Section, £375; Newtown Sports Junior Football Club, £250; Noah's Ark Trust, £250; Oak Crescent Residents' Association, £500; Malvern Pentecostal Church Parents and Toddlers Group, £300; Peppercorns Youth Group, £375; Pickersleigh Centre Association, £625; Powick Toddler Group, £250; Rushwick Parish Council, £375; Severn Stoke Village Hall Committee, £208; St John Ambulance, £750; Suckley Parish Council, £625; TG's Project, £375; Trustees of the Upton-Upon-Severn Baptist Church Hall, £500; Upton Youth Band, £375; Upton-Upon-Severn Sports Club, £367.50; Welland Juniors Football Club, £500.