A VITAL service providing furniture for needy Bromsgrove residents is to close because of a lack of cash -- the Advertiser/Messenger can reveal.

Attics, Bromsgrove and Redditch Furniture Recycling Project, on Sanders Road Industrial Estate, off Worcester Road, will close its doors at the end of March and its two full-time workers will be made redundant.

The scheme, which was set up in 1998 in conjunction with Charford's Multi-Agency Resource Centre, can no longer continue its work providing household goods for families on low incomes or benefits because it has run out of money.

The service relies on grants and donations and was turned down for a lottery grant last year -- the final straw for the cash-strapped project.

Multi-Agency Resource Centre chairman Kevin McNamara told the Advertiser/Messenger: "We have had a failed lottery bid and cannot afford to keep going.

"It is very disappointing because it is a well used service and no one likes to see things close and people made redundant."

Mr McNamara said Attics was competing with statutory bodies for lottery grants and there was not enough money to go around.

Not enough money

The project has been plagued with problems during the last 12 months.

It had to turn away furniture donations because its storage space was full and no funds were available to rent another site.

Then heartless thieves stole its only delivery van which was packed with furniture.

Mr McNamara added: "We have had other problems but would have continued it if we had had enough money.

"I am very grateful to everyone who has helped and I've got high praise for everyone involved."