A CHARITY that helps people with special needs has been given a boost to extend its services in the New Year.

A partnership between the Learning Skills Council, Education in the Community and Aim High has paved the way for Spennymoor Learning Library to receive £13,546 from the Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities Fund.

It means the library can extend its service in the Easington area to having a presence there three days a week.

Jackie Heslop, co-ordinator at the learning library, said: "At the moment Hazel Lee, our outreach worker for Easington, is there one day a week. This funding means that she can now be there three days a week, and we can extend the service to people of all age groups. We are looking to start it in the New Year.''

The Spennymoor Learning Library was established in 1986 and lends specialist equipment and toys to people with special needs in Sedgefield, Wear Valley, Teesdale, Easington and Darlington.

Margaret Worsnop, deputy co-ordinator, said: "We have things from conventional toys to fibre-optics, special bikes and outdoor equipment.

"We are also quite flexible. If somebody rings us to request a particular piece of equipment we will try our best to get hold of it on the understanding that when they have finished with it it is brought back to the library for use by other families.''

A lot of the work carried out by the library is done in the comfort of the home, with one of six outreach workers visiting individuals to assess their needs.

A support system is also run in schools, nurseries and residential homes, where outreach staff work with various groups.

Its patrons are Prime Minister Tony Blair and Derek Foster, MP for Bishop Auckland.

About 400 members use the facilities.

The library has also recently launched a befrienders scheme, run by co-ordinator Jan Clemment. It matches volunteers with adults with learning difficulties, to help them be more active in the community and access more local facilities.

To find out more about the learning library or the befriending scheme call (01388) 420267 or (01388) 816784.