Two local charities are to benefit from a project to recycle or re-sell Bradford Council’s redundant IT equipment.

The authority-run Industrial Services Group, which offers training and employment for people with disabilities, has been involved in the initiative for the past 19 months.

It involves the Council working with private company Serco, which provides day-to-day IT support, to realise as much income as possible from the redundant equipment. Once information has been removed from the equipment and any repairs completed, it is sold on as complete systems, spare parts or scrapped for recycling.

The revenue generated is then used to fund further training and employment opportunities for the disabled, and as part of the contract it was agreed to donate a percentage of the generated revenue to charity. A pot of £400 has been raised and will be split between Bradford Nightstop, which organises emergency accommodation for homeless youngsters, and the Bradford Foodbank.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe (left), executive member for employment, skills and culture, said: “This is a great way to generate income for the continued operation of the Industrial Services Group and if local charities can also benefit then that is icing on the cake.”