This month, staff pulled down the shutters on the Church Street base after funding finally ran out. They put posters in the windows, and send emails and letters to companies and people they have helped over the years, explaining that ACE would no longer be at the heart of the village.

Despite ACE meeting all its targets, helping hundreds of locals back into work, learning new skills and keeping young people free from school holiday boredom blues, it just could not become self-sufficient, once the Government's Objective One funding ran out last year.

Development worker Chris McGuinness said: "At a time when people are crying out for jobs, a venture like ours is being forced to close. It is sad, when you have to tell everybody who you've helped and worked with over the years".

ACE was born when volunteers got together to help people in the community. What started as a small committed group, became a revelation.
Its demise remains a bitter pill for many – especially founder member Tony Corden., who told the Newsletter "An important part of the community has gone. I am devastated. We've done lots of good things – we've helped a lot of people with everything they've asked, but we've had very little help from the local authority.

"Personally I think they could have helped a bit more. We've desperately been trying to find funding ever since Objective One ended.

"Closing was a very difficult decision. I think the community will suffer – they've gotten used to us being here and catering for their needs.

"We would have liked to have grown this project even more, but without funding these things are just not sustainable on their own."

Mr Corden added: "I've been here 12 years and it here has been so rewarding."

Arrangements are now being made to move the CAB to the library, and the Credit Union will be writing to all customers to make new arrangements with them.