Valuable information which will help Bankies locate local services has been included in an eye-catching new document now available in the town.

Produced by Centre81 community and regeneration centre in Whitecrook, the leaflets use maps to publicise the location of 52 community groups and 45 places with free Wifi and public computers.

Information for the community mapping project was compiled over eight weeks earlier this year by Michael McLaughlin and Alan Karas, from Centre81, which is a Clydebank Housing Association “wider role” initiative at the heart of the Whitecrook community.

Michael told the Post the aim was to provide a handy guide for people seeking information about services in the area.

He said: “We are delighted to be able to have produced such a full and eye-catching document to show all the detail we gathered in our mapping exercise.

“This has already proved to be a great resource, not only in Centre81, but in consultation and information events we have already attended.

“We have issued a copy to all of our partners and centres mentioned within it. This will continue to be a live document and we will update and distribute new copies as activities and services are added or amended.

“We will continue to refer to this throughout our Connecting Clydebank ACF project as a tool not only to highlight and signpost local services to people within the community, but also to engage with people who currently are unaware or do not use the current services in Centre81 and throughout the rest of Clydebank.”

Michael said the listing of places with free Wifi would be particularly useful with the overhaul of many state benefits through the introduction of Universal Credit later this year.

He said the demographics of the area meant that less than half of the people living there would have regular access to a computer.

Most claimants will have to register and claim Universal Credit online.

Centre81 was opened to the public in May 2008 and was a major milestone in the process of regeneration in Whitecrook, which is considered to be one of the most deprived areas in Scotland.

The centre focuses on helping residents gain skills, qualifications and experience so that they can move out of the benefits trap and into work.

The centre also provides a range of activities to engage with young people and reduce anti-social behaviour.

Copies of the map are available from Centre81 at 2-16 Braes Avenue and from centres listed on the map.

You can request a copy by emailing Michael at michael@clydebank-ha.org.