A CHARITY which ran a meals-on-wheels service for hundreds of people across the Forest has been declared

insolvent.

The decision by Age Concern Forest of Dean, which took effect on Friday (March 13), meant the closure of its meals delivery service, the kitchens at Cinderford, its two fund-raising charity shops and its befriending service.

In a statement the charity’s chair of trustees, Dr Daphne Pearson, said ‘bizarre rumours’ – including strenuously denied claims of fraud – had been circulating.

Dr Pearson also said the service could be re-started if thousands of pounds in ‘core funding’ could be found.

She said: “It was a sad day on Friday for all concerned with the charity when Age Concern Forest of Dean declared voluntary insolvency and handed over to an Insolvency Practitioner.

“As there have been bizarre rumours circulating regarding the charity, I am writing to set the record straight.

“All meals supplied from the Cinderford kitchen to individuals or lunch clubs up until and including Sunday March 15 were supplied by Age Concern staff using the charity’s equipment, delivered by the charity’s drivers and funded by the charity.

“No member of staff at any time worked without pay, neither were wages cut.

“Until March 13 all assets, including stock at both charity shops, were the property of Age Concern.

“On March 13 everything was handed to the Insolvency Practitioner, no-one else.

“It is for his company to decide the disposal of the

assets.

“Although staff, sadly, had to be made redundant by the charity, they received seven weeks’ paid notice.

“Also, contrary to rumour, no trustee was guilty of fraud or appropriation of funds, nor were we under a moral obligation to maintain the charity without sufficient financial resources.

“Anyone visiting the Cinderford kitchen is viewing an organisation that began almost 30 years ago.

“In 2012 the present kitchen was leased from Forest of Dean District Council and equipped with a grant from the Local Action Group.

“All staff and drivers were recruited by Age Concern, some of the latter as a result of requests in the press from me.

“Anyone continuing the service does not have to set it up: it is already in existence.

“All that is required is a large sum of money – amounting to thousands of pounds – every year as core funding.

“No-one has more regrets than I do that substantial core funding was not available for the continuation of the meals service by Age Concern.

“I devoted the last 10 years of my life, along with others, to maintaining the service and protecting staff jobs, in the face of continual difficulties.

“I am grateful to fellow trustees, particularly Richard Edge, who recently undertook the duties of acting honorary treasurer and to our book-keeper, Anthea McCann, without whose calm presence the last few weeks would have been

intolerable.”

The meals on wheels service provided hot food for some 100 individuals and 10 lunch clubs.

The charity has been placed in the hands of insolvency experts Monahans.

TWO men were airlifted after an incident on a industrial estate.

Emergency services were called to reports of an industrial incident at the Alton Road Industrial Estate in Ross-on-Wye at 8.11am last Wednesday (March 11).

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We sent the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham, two land ambulances and a paramedic officer.

“Two men were treated for potentially serious injuries. Both patients have been taken to the Queen Elizabeth in Birmingham for further

treatment.

“One patient was conveyed by air ambulance, the second patient has been taken by land.”