LORD Owen raised a glass of bubbly to 50 years of Enham as he led the toast to the Andover-based charity's achievements.

The golden anniversary celebrations were a chance for Enham's supporters to tour the site and see some of the new developments which indicate the charity is entering a new era.

It has been 50 years since the decision was made in 1954 to extend Enham's services to cater for people with a wider range of disabilities.

Lord Owen, Enham's president and former SDP leader, met some of Enham's residents on the open day and took a closer look at the daily running of the charity.

"Today celebrates the people in the past who have allowed Enham to thrive - people who have devoted time effort and money to make a much bigger impact on the people here who deserve to be able to work," he said.

Mike Smith, chief executive of Enham, took his tour party on a trip round Enham's new accommodation blocks - Michael House, William House and Elizabeth House. Care manager Lynne Hewitt said: "It was harder for the retired people to leave Cedar Park and move to the new block, but the oldest resident - an 81-year-old - loves it here now because he's like lord of the manor."

The tour also took in Enhams's 'Route 2 Work' initiatives packaging and assembly line, the horticultural department and the extremely successful Computer Aided Design course. Visitors rounded off the day with lunch and a performance by the drumming workshop.