The third phase in a £1.9 million renovation project for the Balkerne Gardens complex in Colchester is under way.

However, the Balkerne Gardens Trust, the charity which provides accommodation for the elderly, said this week it did not know where it would find the rest of the money to fund the ongoing improvement programme.

In 1991 the trust was told by Essex County Council it had to carry out a series of improvements by 2001 to ensure the home complied with Government standards.

So far the trust has raised almost £1 million but chief executive Susan Saunders admitted it would not be easy to find the funds.

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