A PIONEERING centre that helps people with disabilities to set up in business has been transformed thanks to a £40,000 grant.

East Lancs Into Employment has operated in Cavour Street, Burnley, for six years. It has links with similar schemes in France and Ireland and is in contact with specialists from the University of Illinois.

Challenge Fund cash has enabled the former dilapidated building to be transformed and partially rebuilt into a disabled-friendly workplace with individual units.

Businesses as diverse as pottery making, silk screen printing and a recording studio now operate there and people with all kinds of disabilities, from epilepsy and asthma to physical handicaps, have been helped.

About 60 businesses have already been established and the scheme, which is soon to be registered as a community business with charitable status, is hoping to launch 40 new businesses every year.

Project worker Jean Weaver said: "We have never turned anyone away - we believe that everybody has the right to have a go at running their own business and we have been rewarded for that view with so many successes over the years.

"Self-employment helps to work around disabilities and many of the people who come to us are able to fit in their work around the constraints that their disability puts on them.

"For instance, someone who many be constrained from working during one day will often come along to work in the evenings and we have even had people working here all night long."

Funding is mainly from borough councils, East Lancashire Training and Enterprise Council and the European Social Fund, but once charitable status is achieved the scheme will be bidding for National Lottery money.

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