THE Amber Foundation, which uses Tottenham House in Savernake Forest as a training centre to help disadvantaged young people, is to open its own in-house medical centre.

This has been made possible with a £45,200 windfall from the Newbury-based Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic division of a multi national pharmaceutical company, Baxter Healthcare.

Since opening in 1995, Amber has helped hundreds of young people make a new start in life, encouraging many of them to give up substance abuse and to restore their self respect.

More than 70 per cent of the 18 to 25-year-olds who have passed through Amber, have found work or entered full-time education within a short time of moving on from Tottenham House.

Amber provides 24-hour support to help its young residents break away from alcohol and drugs abuse. It is based in a former stately home which also helps by giving them a complete contrast from their former lifestyles.

Chief executive Charles Drew said that with an average of 35 residents at any time, Amber has to call on the services of local doctors, and has had to take the residents to any one of the area's five surgeries.

The money from Baxter International, presented by its managing director Bob Campbell during a visit to Amber last Thursday, will be used to create a dedicated in-house surgery.

Mr Drew said the money would also be used to pay for one practice to run the surgery, which it was intended would be open on two half days a week.

Mr Drew said: "We are setting up our own in-house surgery so that we will be able to have our own doctor here."

He said the provision would mean less pressure on all the local surgeries which have currently had to deal with the health problems of Amber residents.

Baxter Healthcare was told about the work the charity does with underprivileged young people by one of its staff, Julie Cable. Company spokeswoman Lorraine Young said: "We are delighted to be able to support this project. It will help so many young people in poor health gain the confidence and motivation needed to move on in life."