THE Northallerton-based charity Chopsticks has won a big contract to provide job-related training for 30 adults with learning disabilities.

The £53,953 contract has been awarded through JobCentre Plus, which is co-financing the initiative with European social funding.

The charity, which last year launched an £850,000 appeal to buy land and acquire purpose-built premises in Northallerton, provides work activities and training for people with learning disabilities.

The contract will require staff there to provide National Proficiency Test Council Certification training at entry level in Skills For Working Life, covering activities in woodworking, retail and horticulture.

The skills to be included in the training will encourage motivation, confidence-building and self-esteem and three groups from Hambleton and Richmondshire will be trained between May 2003 and March 2004.

To help to deliver the training, Chopsticks, whose members convert five tonnes of scrap timber into packaged firewood for coal merchants and retailers every week, has recruited two additional staff and rented another industrial unit in Northallerton.

Development officer Colin Walker said: "This contract is an important boost for Chopsticks and illustrates that we are being increasingly recognised for our work and that our new-premises appeal deserves support.

"We still require substantial public and corporate support to enable us to reach our new-premises appeal target.

"It is essential that we achieve this to ensure our long-term survival so we can continue to provide valuable services for people with learning difficulties and other disadvantaged groups in the local community."

The group and its new premises appeal is being supported by Thirsk-based design build company Severfield-Reeve Projects, and managing director Lindsay Ross said the new contract demonstrated the importance of the charity's work.

Chopsticks also provides a low-cost gardening service for the elderly and disabled and work placements for the unemployed.

And there are plans to increase the restoration and sale of wooden pallets and to expand into the recycling of other waste products in line with Government initiatives and recycling targets.