AGE Concern, the biggest provider of cooked meals for elderly and housebound people in the Forest area, has gained the £98,000 it needs to expand its service to school meals and create more local jobs.

"Along with new kitchens this will virtually double our meals output," says spokesman Daphne Pearson who, along with other members of the Age Concern trustees, has been working hard to secure the deal through the local Local Action Group. It means Age Concern will be able to create new purpose-built kitchens in part of a Forest of Dean District Council-provided unit at Foxes Bridge, Cinderford, moving on from the "unsatisfactory" premises they now work from at the Enterprise Centre in Valley Road.

The move into school meals will be a novel one which has never before been attempted by other organisations, says Dr Pearson, adding that every 100 more meals they cook will mean they can take on another staff member.

"We are hoping we can move by Easter (early April) but it isn't easy. There is a lot of work to do to comply with food hygiene and health regulations, and of course we don't want to close down our operations while we are doing it.

"Ideally it would be over a weekend, preferably a long weekend."

Dr Pearson said Age Concern was already in negotiations with the first primary school they are hoping to supply. Others would follow soon she hoped and perhaps the county council would be able to take them up as a regional provider for the Forest.

Age Concern was also trying to help schools obtain grants to employ staff to serve food and wash up until they could establish a volunteer workforce of their own through PTAs. It was their intention to source all food locally.

"We are very excited about it. This is a new era for Age Concern," said Dr Pearson.

"It is a wonderful example of co-operation between the Local Action Group, the local council and Age Concern."

The venture is not-for-profit and any cash generated will be re-invested in Age Concern projects.