National Award For Knowsley?

A Knowsley Council resource centre has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious 2001 Health and Social Care awards run by the Department of Health which highlight excellence within the NHS and Social Care fields.

The winner of the award, which has attracted over 600 entries, stands to win £10,000. Jeremy Hunt, the centres manger said, “We are delighted to have reached the finals of this prestigious competition. It's wonderful that all our hard work is recognised in this way.”

Government ministers and representatives from several local authorities across the country have visited the centre.

The IT project at the Westvale Resource Centre in Kirby has been short-listed in the category for ‘Improving the Lives of People with Disabilities.’' The project works with people who have learning disabilities and has been extremely successful with 90% of those attending going on to develop a wide range of information and communications technology skills.

The centre not only has its own website but service users there have also developed a CD-ROM which aims to enable people with learning disabilities to cope with everyday situations. This initiative is the only one of its kind in the country.