PENSIONERS' charity Age Concern is battling to find £100,000 to keep the Forest's own hot meals service running when Ensors move.

Meat man Robert Ensor currently lets the local charity operate free from disused rooms upstairs at his Cinderford site.

But when the company moves to premises in Valley Road he will not be able to take the charity with him.

Age Concern chief Alan Gore is hoping to win a LAG grant to pay for new kitchens in an industrial unit which could cost up to £100,000.

But he says even if they raise the money, the charity will still have to find the running costs of any new unit.

He said: "It is going to be quite a challenge because instead of getting it all for free we will have to look at ways of generating income to pay for the rent and the rates.

"It could be as much as £10,000 a year. We may have to face up to the fact that we need to be more commercial and go into retail to support the charitable arm.

"We cannot keep putting the prices up because people on a pension will not pay £4 or £5 for a three course meal, even if it is delivered to their door."

Mr Gore says the fact that around 40 per cent of elderly people admitted to hospital are malnourished proves that too many are living on sandwiches and crisps.

Volunteers deliver over 600 meals a week but there are fears numbers will fall if social services promote the countywide WRVS Meals on Wheels service.

Age concern charges £3.30 for three courses – compared to £3.40 for a two course WRVS meal – because the local service is subsidised by rent free kitchens and the Cinderford shop.

Social services have just ann- ounced they will increase the price of the WRVS meal to £3.50.

But Mr Gore added: "In the same way that local people are working together to protect the Forest, we can all help to save our hot meals service by encouraging people to use it, to support the Age Concern shop in Cinderford and fundraising activities held in the name of Age Concern Forest of Dean."

The Forest charity has decided to stay independent rather than join the national organisation because it would mean handing over some of the money raised locally.

But Mr Gore says the charity does need cash if it is to do the work of the Big Society.

"It is ironic that at a time when the advocacy service is threatened with closure in the summer through the expiry of funding from a charitable trust, we are being told that volunteers must come to the aid of the country to fill the gaps left by reductions in spending."