Advice group is in need of home (From Malvern Gazette)

Advice group is in need of home

7:50pm Monday 18th February 2013 in News By Robert Hale

TWO community organisations are set to move out of a town centre building after public access to their building was restricted for safety reasons.

The Malvern Gazette reported last October that Malvern Hills District Council closed the upper floor of the Grange, Grange Road, following a fire risk assessment.

The closure forced the Citizens Advice Bureau and Age UK, both based at the Grange, to share premises in cramped conditions.

Now the bureau is looking for new premises and is asking for help from the public in finding them, while Age UK is set to move into Great Malvern railway station.

CAB chief officer Les Kinmond said: “Given the uncertain future, in order to guarantee uninterrupted services to clients, it seems sensible to look for alternative accommodation.

“The CAB needs about 1,500 square feet of office space to meet current client demands and so we are appealing to any organization or member of the public who may know of any suitable premises to get in touch.

“We believe appropriate locations to be Great Malvern town centre, Malvern Link or Barnards Green.

The CAB is very well supported by the council, but we are a charity, and so any commercial premises need to be affordable.’’ George Waugh of Age UK said: “It would cost us just as much to move into new premises temporarily as permanently so we decided to find somewhere else.

We found the premises at the station and we’re going through the process of signing the lease.”

He said if all goes well, the organisation will relocate in March.

The bureau sees about 5,000 clients a year, helping them with problems such as welfare benefits, housing and employment.

Anyone who can help should call on 01684 563611 or visit malvernhills-cab.org.uk.