WOULD you be kind enough to allow me to correct a misunderstanding in last week's headline letter from James Powell of Abbotswood, Evesham in which he writes that Pershore has a new hospital and a successful theatre largely financed by Wychavon from money obtained from the sale of the council houses.

We at Number 8 will always be grateful to Wychavon councillors of all parties who paid £210,000 in 1998 to purchase a run down shell of a building which was the old Co-Operative Society premises and lease to us on the understanding that we find the money to build an arts centre. Our voluntary organisation then ran a charity shop in the building for over five years raising £600,000.

In the past three years our charity shop Just After 8 has raised a further £200,000.

Number 8 has the support of 230 volunteers who give their time six days a week to manage and staff a thriving community arts centre of which we are very proud.

Our thanks to The Evesham Journal who have showed faith in our project over the past 12 years.

RAY STEADMAN, Managing Director, Number 8 Community Arts Centre, High Street, Pershore.