A Seven Kings centre that helps disabled people live independently has been awarded more than nine thousand pounds by the government for a new project.

The Redbridge Centre for Independent and Inclusive Living (Redbridge CIIL) will get �9,117 towards a volunteering project aiming to build confidence and independence for people to access training and education.

The minister for disabled people, Esther McVey, visited the centre in South Park Drive, where she met paralympian Sophie Christiansen MBE on Tuesday.

Miss Christiansen, who won three equestrian gold medals in the 2012 Games, is supporting young disabled people in Redbridge moving from education to employment.

Ms McVey said she was “delighted” to award the funding to Redbridge CIIL.

Centre co-ordinator Ossie Stuart said: “We know that disabled people in our area find it difficult to access the same training and volunteering opportunities as non-disabled people, so this award is vital to us.

“It will mean that we can give disabled people in our community the support they need to build their confidence to get the jobs they want – something that we haven’t been able to do before.”

The funding was a slice of more than one million pounds awarded to disabled groups across the country.