Support is available to community centres across the town from a new worker at Keighley Voluntary Services.

Surji Cair aims to help centres provide the best possible service to the people in their areas.

Her advice will range from funding and training to helping provide new services or improving buildings.

But she stresses she is not there to take over or impose herself on anyone, simply to give whatever help is wanted or needed.

Surji's role involves "capacity building", helping local people gain the skills to manage their own centres and provide services for their neighbours.

She works in the Keighley South and West wards, which include Bracken Bank, Braithwaite, Guard House, Highfield, Ingrow, Woodhouse and Parkwood Rise.

Surji has 12 centres on her patch, which includes some of the most rundown areas of Keighley, as well as several other community groups.

Her project is funded by KVS along with Bradford Council and the European Objective 2 regional development fund.

One aim is to ensure community centres have an equal chance to access funding available from government, council and other organisations.

This involves the centres meeting certain standards, such as having a management committee, constitution and development plans.

This eventual "level playing field" would also lead to organisations and agencies providing an equal level of service to people in all the communities.

Surji is applying experience gained during many years of involvement in community projects, both as a volunteer and paid worker.

These include work with school governing bodies, as a women's equality officer, and on the management committee of a women's refuge.

In her new role, Surji is first making contact with people running each centre to discover their needs and concerns.

She said: "I'm very impressed with all the work that is going on in the various centres and I hope to complement their work.

"The challenge is getting to know people and communities. They are all different.

"It depends what the need is -- with some it might be helping a management committee, or publicising an event, or getting activities going."

Future activities could include encouraging businesses to second staff to community centres, helping centres share good ideas and work on joint projects, and bringing agencies together to improve their services in a particular area.

Surji's project, which is entitled Capacity Building for Community Centres, will be officially launched at an event next month.

Anyone who wants to help in their local community is invited to contact her at Keighley Voluntary Services on 01535 665258.