A Keighley charity was gifted an extra cash boost this week to help the education of disabled people.

Keighley and District Disabled People's Centre received £500 towards its successful education scheme from the Halifax's community development fund.

The cheque was presented to disability rights adviser Keith Bell by David Sexton, sales and service manager at the bank's Keighley branch, in Low Street. The money will buy an educational computer software program called Widget that has already been a big hit with members at the disabled centre.

Last November the KDPC launched its educational scheme for disabled people in tandem with Keighley Resource Centre.

Keith Bell explains: "We run the scheme five days a week and it involves developing literacy, numeracy, as well as computer skills, which are designed to help students with all aspects of day to day living.

"The Widget program has already proved to be a very effective and popular tool in helping to develop those three core areas.

"Grants like this are very welcome indeed because it helps us to continue our work and plan ahead for the long-term future."

A spokesman for the Halifax says: "Keighley and District Disabled People's Centre carries out valuable work for the education of local people.

"Education development is a priority for the Halifax and we are therefore more than happy to assist the organisation in its excellent work."

Students at the centre are currently working towards their Oxford-Cambridge RSA (OCR) National Skills Profile qualification.

Margo Shuttleworth has taken up a liaison role and will relate any problems experienced by her fellow students to the committee running the project, which in turn will pass them on to the KDPC's trustees. The role is designed to give students a voice on how their course is run.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.