ALCESTER is set to be revitalised after one of the biggest windfalls in its history was granted.

More than £1m will be pumped into Alcester and the surrounding areas in the next three years after Advantage West Midlands awarded £500,000 to be spent as part of the Market Towns Initiative.

With match-funding, the figure is set to be more than £1m.

The first year of six projects, which include a town centre enhancement and a community and learning centre, is set to get under way later this year with £184,000 made available.

A group of 15 Alcestrians make up the Advantage Alcester steering group and have spent the last 10 months working on a healthcheck, action plan and implementation plan for the whole town, which has now been approved by AWM.

Advantage Alcester is now looking for more residents to come forward to continue the initiative.

The group is a partnership working closely with local councils and other organisations but is independent and has a strong community base.

And to help these projects along, Advantage Alcester now has a dedicated officer on secondment from Stratford on Avon District Council who is officially employed as the Alcester Market Towns Initiative project manager.

For more details or a copy of the healthcheck and other documents, write to Advantage Alcester, Globe House, Priory Road, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 5DZ or call Chris Wood on 01789 260640.