BREAD giant Warburtons is donating £100,000 to projects in Bolton.

The bakery, along with Bolton at Home, has pledged to help 10 local people over the next year with practical supporting setting up a small company as part of the Enterprise in East Bolton Project.

The cash will fund a digital inclusion scheme, providing a new IT outreach service in community centres — including child care.

A financial literacy project to deliver advice and support around debt reduction alongside budget management workshops will also be launched.

Warburtons will work with Bolton Lads and Girls Club on four citizenship courses aimed at offering help to disadvantaged young people. A job club will enable participants to gain one-on-one support on careers, advice on CV design, interview techniques and in literary skills.

Twelve young carers will be matched with a trained adult mentor and enable them to access dedicated pastoral and practical support and there will be a passport-to-work scheme for young people not in education, employment or training the opportunity to build relevant skills.

The bakery’s executive director Brett Warburton said: “Warburtons is still very much a family business and supporting our local communities has been at the heart of what we do for many years. Our company has been based in Bolton since 1876 and we are proud to support organisations which have a real social impact on families and communities in the area. Each of these projects will address genuine issues in the community and whether it’s helping people to start their own businesses and careers, supporting people to live independently, or developing valuable skills, we are very happy to be able to help these organisations make a positive difference.

“All of our community work is led by the people at Warburtons who are themselves part of the local community and we are always happy to see new projects begin in Bolton and around the country.”

Bolton at Home neighbourhood manager Tony Cottam hailed the contribution, saying: “It’s great because it supports the basic needs of the communities,” he said. “We are trying to narrow the gap between Brieghtmet and more affluent areas. The initiative will help people struggling with digital inclusion — fundamentally, getting on line. The money will help us with our UCAN (urban care and neighbourhood centre).”

Some of the cash will go towards partnering the Madhlo Youth Zone in Oldham.