West Worcestershire Conservative parliamentary candidate Harriett Baldwin has re-stated her support for Kyre Day Centre, which provides vital services for the elderly in and around Tenbury. Harriett visited the day centre in January to help to publicise its work and to meet with some of the people who use the resource including Marie Higginson, who, aged 96, is one of the town’s oldest residents. The MP chatted to Ria Baxter and Ruth Felce who help to run the popular day centre on Tenbury Business Park as a not-for-profit company. The centre could be expanded after Age UK announced the closure of the nearby Brookside Day Centre in Burford, near Tenbury. Harriett has been working with Age UK and the local county council to identify proper support for the 27 customers at the closing centre. Harriett said: “It is sad to hear of the closure of the Brookside centre but I have been fully briefed on the plans and hope that we can work together to find an effective replacement solution. “Kyre Day Centre is keen to expand so it may be that there is a ready-made solution. However, these are early days and I hope that there will be some good news soon. “Rural exclusion can be a problem in Worcestershire and the Government recently invested in a new minibus for Tenbury Transport Trust to help it expand its vital transport service. “If I am re-elected as MP in May, I will continue to work with the county and district councils and voluntary bodies to ensure that we have the right provision to help give our elderly people the chance to get together and carers some much needed time off. Photo: Flashback to January, pictured (l-r) Ria Baxter, Ruth Felce, Marie Higginson and Harriett Baldwin.