A SCHEME aimed at breathing new life into Stourport is set to take a major step forward in 2005 with the appointment of its first programme manager.

Until now Stourport Forward - part of a West Midlands-wide Government strategy to revamp market towns - has been run entirely by volunteers through a board chaired by retired local businessman, Derek Fradgley.

Now the scheme has its first paid officer, in the form of Liz Durnell, who has been appointed to lead the project.

One of her main roles will be to be closely involved with the appraisal of the lengthy list of project proposals submitted by town groups as part of the public consultation programme carried out last year.

They range from creating spaces for youngsters to play on the Manor Park estate and a lifelong learning centre on the Walshes to enhancement of the town's shop fronts - bringing them back up to conservation standard - and the regeneration of the Sandy Lane Industrial Estate.

Although not wanting to pre-judge any projects, Miss Durnell, 37, of Calder Road, said one of the jewels in the town's crown was the canal basins area.

Already, Stourport Forward had committed £200,000 towards its £4.8 million revamp and Miss Durnell would be working closely with the new Heritage Lottery grant programme manager expected to be in post in June.

Stourport born and bred Miss Durnell, who has a first class honours degree in sociology and theology, said she believed one of the strengths of Stourport was its "great sense of community spirit."

She said: "Stourport has a lot of active community groups and I recognise that a lot of work has already been done. I am really looking forward to working with the groups and carrying on that work."

Her previous background was very much involved in working with volunteers on various community projects to help homeless and vulnerable people in Birmingham.

Her last post, before she moved back to Stourport a year ago, involved her setting up and developing a small charitable company.

She said: "I grew up in Stourport and moved back because I missed it. I was commuting back to Birmingham and when I saw the post of programme manager advertised I thought 'wow, this is something I would really like to do'."

Miss Durnell, who started in her new post last week will be employed by British Waterways, one of the partners in Stourport Forward, and will be based at BW's offices in the Basins area.

Stourport Forward is an on-going initiative and part of the Market Towns Programme, which receives Government funding through Advantage West Midlands and the Countryside Agency.