A LARGE house in Redditch is to be taken over by the British Red Cross Society and used as an old people’s home, provided the people of Redditch and district can find the sum of £8,500 for the necessary repairs and adaptations to the building, it was indicated at a meeting at The Woodlands, Evesham Road, Headless Cross, on Tuesday.

The house, which has about 20 rooms, was offered as a gift to the town last October by Mr Norman Terry, head of the family firm Herbert Terry and Sons Ltd, on condition it is used as an old people’s home.

Previous attempts had been made locally to Worcestershire County Council to take it over, but the council’s reaction to the offer was to say that the money was not available at the moment to convert the house, and until Tuesday of this week negotiations have been going on to see whether the Red Cross could take it over and convert it with the help of public subscriptions.