PEOPLE who attend a popular day centre for the disabled are showing their entrepreneurial side by launching a website to sell the products they make.

The website – www.ableart.org.uk – is designed to showcase the work of people who go to The Able Centre, a day centre run in Colburn, North Yorkshire, by Broadacres Housing Association.

From January, people will be able to view and buy the work produced by the service users, which includes paintings, glassware, pottery, woodwork, soft furnishing and embroidery.

Lynn Tomkinson, Manager of the Able Centre, said: “One of the main aims of the centre is to help people engage in meaningful activities which help to improve concentration, aid dexterity and promote social interaction.

“One of the ways we do this is by encouraging the people who attend the centre to make a range of products.

“These products have always been on sale at the centre but because we are based on a business park we don’t get many visitors.

“By having our website we will be able to reach people literally all over the world and we hope this will lead to increased sales.

“The money we make will be ploughed directly back into the work we do in the centre but perhaps more importantly it will give the service users and amazing sense of achievement knowing people are buying the things they have made.”

As well as the website, the Able Centre will also be exhibiting their work in the Richmond Station complex from January 23 to February 12. The owners of the Station have kindly waived the normal fee for exhibiting the work, which will be on display in the main concourse.

The Able Centre caters for people with a wide range of disabilities, including dementia, autism and physical disabilities.