A CHARITY is now offering support and advice to Dudley's minority groups from its town centre base.

The Centre for Equality and Diversity's Stone Street headquarters have become a community hub, with volunteers offering help with a variety of issues including job applications and finances.

People are also encouraged to socialise at the hub and free use of computers is available for those who want to check emails, shop or brush up on their IT skills.

The charity has been based in Stone Street for 10 years but the majority of its work carried out within the community.

Centre co-ordinator Kenneth Rodney explained: "While we will still be working in the community, with the hub open groups can now come to us.

"We've had a trickle of people coming in at lunchtime and migrants from the Sudanese community have been coming in on a regular basis.

"We hope more people will come once they become more aware of what we are doing and how we can support them."

Mushtaq Hussain, the charity's chairman said: “We want to give everyone living in and around the town centre of Dudley a focal point to access information and advice and get as much support as possible.

“Following feedback from a trial period the community hub will be introducing new initiatives over the coming months, giving residents even more opportunities to use the resources on their doorsteps.”

The hub is open Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 4pm.