THE pensioners charity Age Concern is looking for more volunteers to help cope with the increasing demands on its services.

Already there are 6,000 residents aged over 75 in the Forest and that number is forecast to increase to well over 8,000 by 2020.

"People are living longer and there has been an influx of people coming to the Forest to retire. Add to that the fact that so many from the post-war baby boom will themselves be pensioners and you can gain some idea of the numbers who may require our services," explained Age Concern's general manager Andrew Wozencroft.

Mr Wozencroft heads up a team over around 50 volunteers offering a variety of services to Forest pensioners.

The best known is the meals-on-wheels operation which involves preparing 100 meals a day five days a week prepared at kitchens in Cinderford and dispatched by a volunteer delivery team throughout the district.

A lesser known but vitally important service is practical help provided through advocacy support - offering help to pensioners over a wide range of day to day issues such as form-filling and even finding assistance for gardening.

Now Age Concern is looking for a further group of helpers - ambassadors - who will represent them in rural, village and town communities and identify pensioners who may need help but be unsure how to make contact.

Mr Wozencroft says Age Concern is planning to get its message across at a series of meetings to be held across the Forest.

The coffee morning presentations will kick off at the Community Hall, Cinderford on Monday September 9 at 10.30am

They will continue on September 11 at The Legion Hall, Blakeney; September 13, Methodist Hall, Lydney; September 16, Mitcheldean Library; September 18, Coleford Community Centre; September 20, Bream Community Centre; September 23, Lydbrook Community Car Office; September 24, English Bicknor Village Hall; September 30, St Briavels Pavilion; October 3, Drybrook Village Hall.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer – whether its for two hours a week or two hours a month – is also welcome to attend. Further information can also be obtained from Mr Wozencroft on Dean 845621.