SAFFRON Walden’s mature citizens will be getting a tip-top service following a donation made from a popular music festival.

Some members of the town’s Day Centre, The Garden Room, met at the venue on Saturday to celebrate receiving �900, part of the proceeds of Waldstock 2012 music festival held at The Fighting Cocks in Wendens Ambo earlier this summer.

The cash was used to purchase a new till, grill and kitchen utensils to provide a better service for the over 55s and disabled who use the Garden Room.

And it turned into a double celebration when it was announced that the Garden Room had been awarded a grant of �5,000 by Uttlesford District Council from the Jubilee Fund. The money will enable the Garden Room to continue its plans to refurbish the premises in Jubilee Gardens where new cooks Jill and Julie, with voluntary staff, provide freshly prepared breakfasts, coffee, cakes and snacks and lunches from 9am to 1.30pm, Monday to Friday at concessionary prices.

Vegetarian meals are also catered for and the venue will be introducing options for other special diets such as diabetics.

New chairman of the Day Centre, Richard Roberts, said: “I hope this news will dispel the confusion caused by recent press articles about the closure of Saffron Walden’s WRVS kitchen, which operates from the same premises, and will allow the Garden Room to go from strength to strength in providing a vital service to Saffron Walden’s mature citizens.”

He added that volunteers are at the heart of the Garden Room and appealed to anybody who could help with serving meals, even if only a couple of hours a month, to contact the Day Centre by calling 01799 522772 or e-mail swdaycentre@gmail.com