A VITAL community service used by hundreds of people is under threat of closure unless managers can find a new home.

Stonehouse Neighbourhood Project - which offers welfare advice and has a learning centre - is struggling to offer services because funds are drying up.

Now those who run it have made a desperate appeal for help.

It is hoped that the project can move into the Community Centre in Laburnum Walk next week on a temporary basis after it leaves its current premises in Queen's Road - but this will mean services will be limited and there are questions over storage space.

As well as premises, the project also needs funding to help ease the crisis and is appealing for sponsorship from businesses and computer equipment for the learning centre.

The crisis comes after funding from authorities such as Stroud District Council and Gloucestershire County Council ran out.

Jason Refalo, community involvement worker at the project, is worried about the future.

"We will suffer massively, as will the people from Stonehouse because they will have to go to Stroud and that is a distance for them to travel," he said.

"We are here to provide service to people in GL10. The project fills the gaps that local people want to be filled and we are more accessible than a lot of other services in the centre of Stroud for our residents."

However, he is hopeful that things will get back on track.

"If we have stability we will be able to rebuild what we once had based in a new home," he said.

The scheme began life in 1997 and reaches hundreds of people in and around the area with a volunteer team of about 40 people.

Services include advice work, which is similar to the Citizens Advice Bureau and in 2004-2005, more than £100,000 of unclaimed benefits were claimed with the project's help.

The learning centre runs courses in IT, photography and family history and it has had around 600 students over the years.

"It helps people that may be overlooked and is quite a valuable service," said Mr Refalo.

"Living in this community, it is important we keep the project because these are services that are utilised and if they go, they will be missed."

Anyone who would like to help the project should contact the chairman of the trustees Clare Sheridan by email on clare@solarious.co.uk.