A SCHEME for a village community offering care and support for adults with special needs has received a boost with the granting of charity status.

The Pendragon community trust wants to raise £450,000 to establish community residential care on the edge of a town in North Yorkshire. Locations being considered include Bedale, Ripon, Northallerton, Harrogate, Leyburn and Thirsk.

More than 15 months of work have led to a successful bid to the Charity Commission for charity status. A voluntary administrator, Mr Geoff Millward, has been appointed to supervise the daily running of the charity.

Property in the community village will accommodate up to eight adults and four residential co-worker staff at any one time.

Whichever site is chosen it will also need space for potential further development and extra buildings. Gardens and grounds for recreational and therapeutic use will be essential at the chosen site.

Bedale businessman Mr David Kerfoot, chairman of the trust, said about £14,000 had been raised so far but he was confident that charity status would unlock extra cash.

Bids to grant-making organisations including the national lottery are expected in the coming year.

Mr Kerfoot said: "We are in a much stronger position than we were 12 months ago.

"We are just waiting to get the next £20,000 or £30,000 and then we can start looking at land."

The scheme would give a type of care at present not available anywhere in North Yorkshire.