A FORMER library which has been converted into a hub will begin providing new courses in Radcliffe.

Bury Adult Learning Service provides hundreds of courses across the borough, however this is only the second known Radcliffe venue where they have been made available.

Friends of Dumers Lane Community Centre have partnered with the service to launch two courses for people of all ages living in the town.

The Friends group was established in the wake of the closure of Dumers Lane library, after 10 of the borough's libraries were axed.

Bury Council announced the closures last year following a lengthy review of its library service which resulted in the retention of four main libraries.

Nicole Haydock, Director of Friends of Dumers Lane, said: "We have managed to get Bury Adult Learning Services to use our centre to provide courses for people living in Radcliffe.

"We are launching two new courses in the new year.

"There is only one other venue in Radcliffe providing this and it is establishing our community centre as an official venue.

"It has been quite unfair that Prestwich, Bury and other areas have been running these courses for a long time but there has been little or no offering in Radcliffe."

The Moving On Up course will provide people who are working, but on low incomes, with an opportunity to better themselves.

This free weekly course will launch on Monday, January 13, and take place in evenings to enable employed residents to attend, between 7-9pm.

A second course, Intro to Crafts, will give participants the chance to try a range of crafts, including glass painting, jewellery making, painting, card-making, paper crafts and mindful colouring.

The five-week course will be held on Tuesdays, between 10am-12noon, starting on January 14. Attendance will cost between £16 and £40, depending on income.

Paul Fulton, Bury Adult Learning Service's Curriculum Quality Leader – Work and Wellbeing, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Dumers Lane Community Centre in helping residents access adult learning courses, whether it be to have fun and develop creative skills or looking at moving on in the work place.

"We hope this new venture will go from strength to strength."

To enrol visit dumerslanecommunitycentre.org or call 0161 253 5772.