A BLACKBURN charity is seeking votes in to win a grant of £35,000 for a project to help people learn vital money skills.

Inter Madrassah Organisation based at Eanam Wharf is one of 17 groups in the North of England bidding for cash the NatWest Skills and Opportunities Fund.

If successful, it would employ staff to deliver 'Pounds and Pence' workshops over 18 months to 120 black and ethnic minority women across Blackburn.

Ann Hedley, IMO's Business Development Manager, said: "The workshops will help people to understand and manage their money better, how to get out of debt and how to budget and spend wisely.

" "To many people these skills are second nature but if you don’t have them life can be very difficult."

The fund is £1million in 2018 for grants of up to £35,000. The winning projects will be chosen by a free public vote at skillsandopportunitiesfund.natwest.com/vote/ which closes at noon on April 20.

The advice, information and guidance offered by the project would be culturally sensitive and the staff speak a variety of languages.