A WOMAN who was helped back in to work after doing courses at her local access point, has urged others to follow in her footsteps and take advantage of the services on offer.

Andy Rimmer, 43, says she wants others to know what Roman Road Access Point did for her, so that they too, could be helped back into work and have their confidence boosted.

Andy, whose 18-year-old daughter Rebecca Bird also managed to find work through the centre, which is part of the access point network across Blackburn, says the help and support she received from the centre was invaluable.

Andy said: "I was a single parent on income support and I thought I should learn about computers. I was terrified. After being at home for years, you feel you can't do something like that. But it really, really helped me."

She studied part time during school hours to begin with, starting in September last year, and by February had found work at Capita in Blackburn town centre, with help from the centre's staff.

After her own success, she encouraged daughter Rebecca to turn to the access point when she, too, was struggling to find work on her own.

Staff there helped her put together her CV and found her posts to apply for, and within weeks she had found work with R & J Builders in Whitebirk.

Now Andy has been bitten by the bug of studying, and has also taken up evening classes in psychology, criminology and sociology.

The centre offers courses ranging from bitesize one-off courses to longer term courses in everything from motorcycle maintenance to jazz blues.

The access point will be opening some evenings and Saturdays from the end of June. It is funded by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council with external funding from a range of bodies and some courses on offer are free. For details ring 01254 671869.