AN east Durham centre established to provide a helping hand to those living on a deprived estate has secured funding for a full-time youth and community worker.

Jackie Thorman will take up her position at the Peterlee Residents in the District of Eden Hill (Pride) community house this week.

Money to enable the appointment of Ms Thorman has come from the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, the Esmee Fairburn Charitable Trust and the Single Regeneration Budget Children's Trust.

The appointment will mean the long-established centre can restart a number of its former activities including the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and youth programmes.

It is also intended to use some of the cash to extend the premises which is in the heart of the Eden Hill estate.

The community house already plays a vital role on one of the district's most deprived estates and provides education schemes to help encourage young people towards securing a more promising future.

One of the main problems on the estate is teenage pregnancies and the Pride centre also operates a Sexual Health clinic covering contraception and sex education.

Pride also runs a weekly women's group, an Aim High service to help residents with basic skills and a one-to-one listening and support service. Anyone wanting to arrange a meeting should ring 0191-586 1422.

The centre also houses a Victim Support group on Friday mornings its telephone number is 0191-587 2276.

The centre's annual general meeting will be held on Thursday, September 4, at 1pm, at the Football Club, in Eden Lane, and any nominations for a place on the committee can be forwarded to Ann Huntington the administrator and project co-ordinator at Pride who is available by calling 0191-586 1422.