TEN years ago a Bury charity started in a disused portable cabin. Now the Bury Portage Service enjoys a bigger base and offers help and advice to over 100 clients.

The service offers teaching in the home to pre-school age children with special educational needs.

Their HQ at Mersey Drive CP School, Whitefield, features a toy library and the chance for parents to meet with qualified staff and volunteers to discuss the education of their children.

The Friends of Bury Portage have also raised enough charity cash to provide the centre with a safe play area for children, a multi-sensory room and they have set up weekly massage and aromatherapy sessions and regular coffee mornings.

And, on Monday children, staff and volunteers united at the Portage centre to celebrate the tenth anniversary.

Members of Bury's 999 Challenge team were also on hand to join in the fun of the day. The dozen teenagers are currently working on a daily basis to improve a piece of overgrown land at the centre as part of the Greater Manchester 999 Challenge. The project must be completed by the end of August.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.