The only centre for physically disabled in the Braintree district could be made homeless.

Now the 70 people who rely on the Tabor Centre, Braintree, fear they could be left without a specialist facility dedicated to their needs.

Time is running out for the centre, which serves Braintree, Witham and Halstead, after developers were given the green light to build a housing estate on the land. Family support group Homestart's base at the site is also earmarked for housing.

And there are fears bulldozers will move in before the charity can find a new base.

Group co-ordinator Anthea Cooper said: "We could be left without a home. We are very worried because we have to be out of here within a year and we haven't got anywhere else to go.

"We have been badgering the district council and anyone else we can get hold of to try get somewhere but nothing definite has come up."

The centre was set up on the Tabor middle school site in 1990 to give physically disabled people a place to get together. More than half the £61,000-a-year running costs come from fundraising and donations.

But the future now looks uncertain for the 70 people who use the centre each week, as well as volunteers and five staff.

And the cash-strapped organisation could be homeless by the time it celebrates its tenth anniversary. Founder member Jean Stock said even if suitable premises were found they faced a massive bill for new disabled facilities.

Now social services and Braintree Council have joined the search for an alternative site before they are forced off the Panfield Lane site.

Mrs Stock said: "They are trying to be helpful and say they won't put us out on the street. It is important we have this sort of centre because there is nowhere else in the district for the physically handicapped."

The fight goes on

The Tabor Centre has fought a constant battle for survival since it opened in 1990.

Fundraisers overcame a £10,000 shortfall to prevent services being slashed in 1996.

The centre then received a £41,000 lottery Christmas present to pay for a new ambulance.

But just months later charity workers were devastated after fire destroyed £1,000 of toys and clothes donated for a car boot sale fundraiser.

Now they have less than 12 months to find a new home before the bulldozers move in.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.