OLD cola cans will help put new fizz into voluntary groups in Burnley.

They can collect any old aluminium for recycling at the town's revolutionary new Community Business and Resource Centre at Maltings Mill, Sandygate.

The Challenge Fund-aided project will raise money from recycling drink cans and renovating unwanted household goods.

Community groups and schools can to build up credits by bringing in aluminium.

Credits can then be spent on hiring equipment, transport and other facilities on offer at the centre.

The scheme "run by the community for the community" will be based at the mill, now under renovation with cash aid from the Challenge and European Development Fund and supported by the town council.

Centre manager, Derek Gover says fund-raising equipment, a furniture store, toy library and scrap resource store are among services on offer. There is also workshop space and tools and materials for individual group projects.

"There will even be office facilities to enable organisations to keep abreast of their paperwork."

He adds: "We also plan schemes where furniture and other domestic items and appliances can be renovated and redistributed at nominal cost, as well as a scheme to renovate old cycles."

Money generated will be used to buy new and better resources that are needed by the community.

Community groups can start building up credits immediately by delivering cans and foil to the centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 6pm and 7pm until it officially opens for business.

Centre organisers also want firms to become involved and hope the public will donate unwanted domestic items for re-use.

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