BUILDING materials worth nearly £1,000 have been donated by a Kidderminster timber merchant to help build a hospice unit in a Romanian orphanage.

Kidderminster Timber World, based at the Firs Trading Estate on Oldington Lane, has supplied timber for the floor and roof of an orphanage for children with HIV and Aids.

A group of 20 carpenters, plumbers, plasterers and electricians from across England and Wales, known as The Builth Balkan Crew, will be helping the Love Light Romania charity complete the work.

The Romanian charity is dedicated to caring for neglected children who suffer with HIV and Aids.

Simon Crane, of Simcra Construction, who is one of the crew travelling to Romania next month, said: "The completion of the hospice unit will enable the charity to give special care to terminally ill children and their families suffering the final stages of the Aids virus.

"They will have new showers, new dormitories and a clean isolation room for the children."

Tim Hanson, of Kidderminster Timber World, which is part of the Arnold Laver Group, said the company was happy to help.

He explained: "We were delighted to be asked to supply the timber for what is a very worthwhile cause.

"Simcra Construction are very good customers of ours so we were more than happy to assist them with the project.

"We hope the construction of the hospice will help many children for years to come," he added.