Newlife’s Opportunity Centre welcomed Berswick District Guides through its doors; one of the first groups of people to come together for the charity, Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children. Following the opening of the Opportunity Centre earlier this month, the Girl Guides spent two hours repairing broken jewellery. Based at Newlife’s main site in Hemlock Way, Cannock, the Opportunity Centre is a brand new facility that opened on 1 October 2008, providing a space for people to volunteer and learn new skills in a safe and social environment. Berswick District Guides selected volunteering at Newlife’s Opportunity Centre as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award, a challenging programme of activities to encourage youngsters to learn new skills through helping others and exploration. Over the next three months as part of the service category of the award, they will be working on a number of projects including repairing broken jewellery and de-labelling clothing at Newlife which can then go on sale at the Superstore to raise money for disabled children across the country. Jane Lockley, Berswick District Guide Leader said: “The girls selected Newlife as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award as they felt it would a positive way to help such a deserving charity. The Opportunity Centre is a fantastic facility and really allows volunteers to great creative while recycling products which can then go on sale. The girls are really enjoying it and benefiting from this exercise.” The Opportunity Centre is open for people from all walks of life including retirees, part-time workers, the disabled and anyone that has a flair for art. For more information or if you would like to get involved, please contact Heather Campbell at Newlife on 07980 259659.