PROPOSALS to open a council contact centre at Kidderminster Library has forced the annual Cards for Good Causes sale to move to a new location - although the planned work has been thrown out by councillors.

By the time the restructuring scheme was rejected by district councillors last week it was too late for the charity to swap back to the library and the card shop will go ahead in Baxter Church.

But the move has left the volunteer manager, Stan Rose, short of helpers as many of the retired people who usually assist were put off by the new location, saying it was out of the way, with only expensive parking at Weavers Wharf and not as comfortable as in the library.

Mr Rose has only about half the number of helpers needed and appealed for more to come forward.

Despite the problems 72-year-old Stan, who is managing the Kidderminster outlet for Cards for Good Causes for the first time this year, said he believed the church could be a better venue because there was more space.

However, he is hoping Wyre Forest District Council will allow him to erect a board in the town centre to direct people to it.

And although he has about 30 volunteers he needs twice that number to run the 30 sale sessions. He needs at least two people per session, which will run from 9.30am until 1pm and from 1pm until 4.30pm.

But he vowed to ensure all the sessions would open, even if he did not get enough helpers. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact him on 01562 740975.

Christmas cards will be on sale in support of a host of national charities. Local charities including Kemp Hospice and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust will also have cards for sale.

Last year charities received more than £4.9 million nationally from Christmas sales through Cards for Good Causes, which donates at least 81p in the pound from the card sales. Kidderminster's paralympic bronze medallist Claire Cashmore will officially open the sale on Saturday, October 23.