A SERVICE is breaking new ground in helping people improve skills needed for everyday life. Biggleswade became the first town in the East of England to hold the Skills MOT service. The event at the library in Chestnut Avenue last Thursday attracted many

A SERVICE is breaking new ground in helping people improve skills needed for everyday life.

Biggleswade became the first town in the East of England to hold the Skills MOT service.

The event at the library in Chestnut Avenue last Thursday attracted many people from the community interested in brushing up on their English and maths skills.

Learning advisers were on hand and there was also an opportunity to try out a mini test in a relaxed and friendly environment to find out what areas people needed further work on to identify steps to improving skills.

Skills MOT project manager Jane Harvey said after the Biggleswade event: "It was very good and we got a lot of potential learners who were keen to find out more.

"Sixty per cent of people who came in signed up so they can improve their maths and English and we had people from their teens to their 50s."

The Skills MOT is backed by the Government and has been organised by the Learning and Skills Council across all six counties in the East of England.

Sarah Leith Russell, the Skills MOT project leader, said: "We want as many people as possible to take the Skills MOT in their town.

"Just as we top up our oil and water levels in our cars, occasionally we all need to top up our skills levels to make sure we are making the most of our potential.

"The Skills MOT has been designed to be very relaxed and informal to give as many people as possible a chance to improve their basic skills and get the confidence to move on.