Old electrical items have been collected for a charity which helps disadvantaged people get their foot on the employment ladder.

Customers of office provider Workspace, based at Leroy House, Essex Road, Islington, collected more than 70 items such as computers, coffee machines and vacuum cleaners over a six-week period.

Workspace has now donated these to social enterprise charity Bright Sparks which will repair and sell on the items.

Nick Bright, centre manager at Workspace’s business centre, said: “This is a brilliant initiative to get involved in. Not only have we been able to give a new lease of life to disregarded electrical equipment but hopefully our involvement with Bright Sparks means that we have been able to support a worthy initiative which gives people the chance to enter the work place. A thriving entrepreneurial community is what London is all about and Workspace thoroughly supports this.”

Diye Wariebi, project manager of Bright Sparks, said: “The response from the local community and businesses has been really positive. Since we started we have collected 8,337 items and been able to provide 41 volun-teering opportunities, including six months training placement for 12 young people.“