IT is a Bolton initiative that has made a huge impact on the communities it serves. Each UCAN centre - which stands for The Urban Care and Neighbourhood Centre) - is giving local residents the opportunity to make changes and they really do work.

It gives people the chance to find solutions to local problems and issues.

Now the fifth centre is set to open its doors - this time in Tonge Moor Road - and there is a certain buzz of anticipation and excitement about the place.

In the former library - which dates back to the early part of the 20th century - computers are being installed, a mini police station is being set up and furious painting and decorating is going on.

The basic structure of the magnificent building remains but its purpose will be far removed from a lending facility.

This is a place where local folk can pop in to report a nuisance neighbour or a problem of fly-tipping and ask for advice on further education and job prospects.

It is a place where residents associations can meet, members of luncheon clubs can chat and problems can be solved.

If you did not know where to go to find out more about gaining qualifications and getting into the workplace then you do now.

It gives the people of Tonge Moor a voice and if it works as well as the other four centres do then it is sure to be a hit.

UCAN project manager Tony Cottam is enthusiastic. His eyes light up as he talks about his plans for the centre and if his enthusiasm is anything to go by it is going to be a huge success.

At the moment finishing touches are being made to the reception area and the individual rooms. "It looks a bit new and pristine at the moment," said Tony, who conceded that once the public got their hands on the centre it would soon have a more "lived-in" look.

UCAN centres are about bringing vital services and help to the public. They aim to provide a focal point for the community. If you do not know who to contact when you have got a leaking roof then it is probably worth popping in to your local UCAN.

"If there are gangs of youths hanging around outside your home you might not know what to do.

"You might feel uncomfortable going into a police station but you can come here and speak to the police community support officers.

"It's also a great opportunity to get to know those officers as they will start their shift from here in the morning," said Tony.

The centres concentrate on providing self-help to individuals and groups.

There is free access to the internet to help find work or college courses and information on how to contact everything from a builder to a council official - a handy facility if you have ever struggled to find the right council department to help with a particular problem.

Local residents are encouraged to have a pride in their environment and with help at hand to achieve that it's easier than ever before, said Tony.

"If someone knows of an area where fly-tipping is taking place they can come here, report it, and help to put it right," he said.

The UCAN scheme has had government approval.

Bolton at Home received an accolade from the, then, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, when it was shortlisted for the 2005 Deputy Prime Minister's Award for Sustainable Communities.

The possibilities for centres like these are endless, said Tony who described the key elements as "informal and flexible".

The first one opened in 2000, in Halliwell, and others were soon to follow in other areas of Bolton including Farnworth, Tonge Fold, Oldhams Estate and Union Road.

UCAN centres were developed in Bolton and are unique to the town. They are, according to Tony, a "brilliant" resource with the ability to respond to individual communities' needs.

"The idea is that each centre will have very different issues to tackle and will reflect the personality of the people in that area," said Tony.

It could be that many residents on an estate want to quit smoking, explained Tony. The centre can take that on board and find people to help the achieve their goal.

Guest visitors can be brought in to talk to people about any relevant topic - it could be someone from the local college or the Credit Union - and the beauty is that there is no hard and fast rule about what can be done there.

If the local people want it then Tony and his team will do their best to help them.

Its main drives are education and training, the environment, crime and anti-social behaviour.

"People may find they have come to the end of their tether with anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood but we would rather they came to the UCAN centre so we can help them," he said.

The end product is that people have far more pride in their environment and the area they live because they realise they can do something about it, he said.

"If they manage to get an area cleaned-up they are far less tolerant of, for example, fly-tipping. They realise they can do something about it," he said.

The Tonge Moor Road centre does not open officially until the end of the month but when it does it is expected to be as popular as the centres in the other parts of Bolton.

It will be available to anyone in Tonge Moor and intends, said Tony, to respond specifically to the needs of the local residents.

"We've already had a residents' meeting here but it's the people who haven't got a voice we are also hoping to attract to the centre.

"We hope to attract people who, up to now, haven't known where to go for help.

"It may be that you are in a group of young people, hanging round the streets, and you don't realise what is available in the area for you to do. We can put you in touch with organisations that can help," said Tony.

The centres help people who live in council-tenanted properties and privately owned, or rented, homes.

Tony can apply for grants for schemes and is looking forward to finding out what local folk want from their centre.

"It is a very exciting time and I can't wait to open," he said.

The relevance of the name of the project isn't lost on Tony. "Although we know what it stands for it really is about residents being able to do something for themselves. They can do it," he said.