WRVS volunteers were VIPs at an event held to officially open the newly-refurbished shop at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bromsgrove.

The shop is run by members of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and is open five days a week to serve hot drinks to patients, visitors and staff, as well as raising funds for the hospital. A WRVS trolley-round also operates within the hospital, delivering snacks to people on the wards who are unable to get to the shop.

Alicia Harris, the WRVS volunteering manager, said: "We were delighted volunteers from the project cut the ribbon to open the new shop. They are the VIPs here and they deserved to be centre stage on this occasion.

"They are a dedicated team and provide a great atmosphere and level of service to hospital users," she added.

Also present at last Thurday's event were representatives from Bromsgrove Primary Care Trust.

Trust chief executive Eamonn Kelly said: "The WRVS is a vital part of the running of the Princess of Wales Community Hospital. I am very pleased the shop is re-open and people attending the hospital will, I am sure, appreciate the hard work which has been undertaken by the WRVS."