Situated 5 minutes from Gloucester cathedral, work on the foundations for St Oswald's village has already started. Due to open very early in 2011, the village will directly support over 250 older people and a similar number from the local community, who will visit and use the village centre facilities. St Oswald's will also provide a social centre for the local chinese community and homes for chinese elders. This will be the first ExtraCare village in Gloucestershire (9 are already in operation across the greater midlands). The project will cost approximately £25M to build and equip. Most of the funding is in place, but the village centre and the raft of facilities and equipment is dependant on ExtraCare raising just over £1m of charitable funding. Great progress has already been made and we have a firm promise of £275,000 in place from a charitable trust, providing we can raise a further £520,000 towards the cost of the project. When operational we expect older people to look forward to their later life and not dread the months and years ahead. We expect them to have fun, be prepared to take on new challenges, appear younger, feel fitter and not allow disabilities to rule their every waking hour. Most of all, we expect their family and friends to be 'green with envy'. There are not too many 'old folks homes' you could say that about!? St Oswald's will be a place where our staff and volunteers will be proud to work and know they are making one heck of a difference.