Young people will be encouraged to become volunteers thanks to a multi-thousand pound lottery windfall.

Keighley Voluntary Services has won £104,000 from the National Lottery to finance the scheme, which will be run from its Volunteer Bureau and charity office in North Street, Keighley.

It is the first time that KVS, which has its head office in Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley, has run a scheme specifically aimed at recruiting young people aged between 16 and 25 years.

Young volunteers are wanted for a variety of tasks, including driving, caring for people, gardening and painting.

Cait Clarricoates, KVS area co-ordinator, said: "We have always said that volunteering is a passport to employment. It gives people confidence and social skills as well as bringing practical benefits.''

The money would also be spent on improving facilities for disabled people at the North Street office by installing a special lift from the charity shop below.

KVS runs a series of groups including the Over 50s Group, Grass Roots Gardening, the JOIN disabilities group and a recycling furniture service.

Other groups winning national lottery cash include Craven YMCA which gets £66,415 to help tackle homelessness in the rural areas of Craven district, and Skipton Civic Society which gets £4,996 to help it promote civic pride.

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