The wait is over at last

WORCESTER'S Age Concern charity is to create a new city base after receiving a £500,000 lottery boost.

Jubilant staff say they can now press ahead with plans to buy and refurbish a building in the centre.

It will give the charity four shops in Worcester and means it can finally be self-sufficient after 10 years of hard work.

"We were on tenterhooks," admitted chief officer Val Stokes.

"We were supposed to know on 26 October, then it was the 27.

"Then it didn't make the post and we had to get a member of staff to come into the office on Saturday morning.

We were all sitting at home waiting for him to telephone."

The announcement comes as Age Concern puts the finishing touches to a new charity shop in Ambleside Drive, Warndon.

Its information and advice service will save Warndon's elderly population a trip into the centre.

Age Concern, which has 150 volunteers and 13 trustees in Worcester, also has branches in Barbourne and St John's.

"This lottery money is tremendous news for us," added Mrs Stokes.

It will make us self-sufficient because in the past we have had to go to grant-making bodies. We had a deficit of £42,000 last year, which we need to try and clear now."

Age Concern's fortune is part of a £2m windfall for community groups in the county.

Bromsgrove & District Citizens Advice Bureau will use £390,310 to move into a more accessible, office and refurbish it.

Hanbury Memorial Hall, near Droitwich, has received £80,000 for a restoration project that will improve access.

Ledbury Youth First has been awarded £106,474 over three years to extend its facilities and fund five members of staff, volunteers, salaries and travel.

The group runs a caf, called the Grind Bar, and provides activities for 11-25-year-olds, as well as working with John Masefield High School.

"We are obviously very happy because it makes a big difference, but we will be on a tight budget funding five members of staff," said chairman Peter Arscott.