A NEW learning disability day centre will be opened in Chester-le-Street next week.

County Durham Care will launch Empower 2 at Waldridge Road, Chester-le- Street, on the site of the former Clarence Day Nursery, next Thursday, at 2pm.

The unit moved to the larger premises from Front Street in Chester-le-Street, where it was known as Empower.

Councillor Brian Ebbatson, who has been supportive during the relocation process, will perform the opening ceremony.

The centre offers a resource providing a base for its service users, while encouraging them to access other community-based facilities and activities.

The premises also provide scope for a wider range of facilities to be offered to the service users, for example a music room, computer room, activities room, to name but a few.

It is envisaged that the facilities will also be accessible to other community groups.

John Burnip, of County Durham Care, said: "Empower 2 has been designed in the hope that it will become recognised as a first-class facility which other groups within the community will be able to benefit from."