A KEIGHLEY community centre is going digital in a bid to help local residents find work, improve their computer skills and access benefits.

The Hainworth Wood Centre has received cash from social landlord Incommunities, which manages many of the houses in the neighbourhood, to create a new IT suite.

The suite will be launched on Tuesday June 25 at 3pm when residents can take afternoon tea and use the new computers and Internet access.

Free advice and help will be available from the Job Centre, regeneration body Keighley Big Local, computer advisers Worth Connecting, Keighley College, Bradford and Keighley councillors, Incommunities and Airedale Enterprise.

After this people from the surrounding Woodhouse and Spring Bank neighbourhood can use the computers whenever the centre is open for its many activities through the week.

A job club runs on Thursdays from 10am to noon, and one-to-one support is available with subjects such as Universal Credit, courses, basic computer training, CVs and job applications.

Julie Stanworth, Incommunities Employability Manager, said her organisation was delighted to support the community centre and its users.

She said: “Giving local residents access to free internet and digital services is vital to improving their computer skills, accessing benefits such as Universal Credit and finding work.

“The launch of this facility complements our current employment services run from the centre every Thursday morning, 10am to noon, by our work coach Tracy Tough.”

Email tracy.tough@incommunities.co.uk or call the Incommunities Employability Team on 01274 257788 for further information.

Centre spokesman Elspeth Mangham said the much-needed funding from Incommunities enabled the volunteer-centre to improve its digital services.

She said: “Many residents do not have Wi-Fi and there are few amenities in the area that are free. With the introduction of Universal Credit this will be an integral free service to the estate.

“Looking to the future, we will be consulting with our residents to establish what the need of the estate and securing funding to allow this to happen.”

The Hainworth Wood Community Centre offers a host of regular activities for various ages.

This includes an over 50s club on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, a month this Sunday community breakfast, and school holiday activities for children.

Call 07501 138095 for further information about the centre’s activities.