SHAW Healthcare is to take over running Ledbury Day Centre and shift the focus from social activities to medical care.

The day centre, held in buldings at Leadon Bank, has been run by a local management committee for over 20 years.

With the opening of the new Leadon Bank building next year, that committee, chaired by Church Lane resident David Tombs, will hand over the management reins to Shaw.

But it will still have a role in organising social activities for pensioners attending the day centre.

Stephen Crisp, of Shaw Healthcare, said: "They will offer the extra social input that we will not be able to provide."

The refurbished board room buildings will be used as a social area by residents of Leadon Bank and the day centre will be re-located into the new building, where it will operate seven days a week, instead of just the two days, which is the situation at present.

Mr Crisp said that even with the stronger emphasis on medical care, especially programmes to help people to continue to have independence in their own homes, "no one will find themselves out in the cold" under the new arrangements.