A CHARITY is appealing for donations of unwanted laptop computers to help improve the IT skills of carers across Airedale.

The machines will be renovated and used by clients of the Carers’ Resource.

The organisation's CReate service runs free weekly IT workshops for carers in Airedale, as well as Bradford and Ilkley.

And it has a team of volunteers which can visit people in their own homes to give one-to-one tuition.

CReate manager, Stella Elson, said: "Part of this project is about giving carers and older people the support they need to help them overcome their IT problems and to boost their confidence in using a computer."

IT volunteer Steve Powell, who runs the workshops, said: “There is so much that people can do online to help their everyday life – from ordering their shopping to e-mailing and chatting with relatives across the world – and people are just a click away, once they know how.

“If people don’t want to go on the internet they can also use their computer to simply document memories, such as photographs."

The project has been supported by a £2,500 Community Fund grant from Aspire-i.

Unwanted laptops can be taken to the Carers’ Resource office at Unit 15, Park View Court, St Paul’s Road, Shipley, during office hours.

All hard drives will be wiped.

Call 01274 449660 or e-mail sellson@carersresource.org for further information.