A PARTY was held at the weekend to mark the first anniversary of Ferryhill Online Centre.

The centre, at Ferryhill Comprehensive School, was one of the first information and communication technology drop-in centres to open in the UK.

It offers learning opportunities and access to computer facilities for anyone who lives in Chilton, Ferryhill and the Trimdons.

To celebrate the first anniversary of its launch, the centre held an open day at which those who completed courses were presented with certificates and there was a chance for visitors to discover what the centre has to offer.

The Ferryhill Online Centre targets people who want to improve their basic information technology skills, including lone parents, the unemployed, people over 60 and those with disabilities.

It also provides a valuable learning facility for pupils who attend Ferryhill School.

Steve Gater, headteacher of Ferryhill Comprehensive School, said: "Ferryhill Online has been a huge success.

"We have been very pleasantly surprised by the breadth of interest shown by people from the community. We have had a lot of people coming in on a drop-in basis. It is a free ITC facility and we have captured a lot of interest among people who regularly spend a lot of time in there.

"One of the problems for this area is that there are low literacy and numeracy skills throughout the population and we are starting to tackle them.

"We have had people not able to read and write use the computers for the first time and they have gone out with a smile on their face."

To further its commitment to computers and technology, this Friday the school is submitting a bid for specialist status to become a business and enterprise college.