YOUNG people at Wirral Autistic Society are getting to grips with technology after being presented with an iPad at the charity's resource centre.

The Rainbow Centre in Birkenhead is home to the organisation’s Family Support Service and is the first to receive an iPad from Neston-based mobile phone recycling company Phone Donor.

It encourages businesses to donate their old mobile phones, which it then recycles. For every 160 mobile phones Phone Donor receives, it gives a brand new customised iPad 2 to a chosen children's charity.

Rick Myers, fundraising officer at Wirral Autistic Society, said: "Everyone at the Rainbow Resource Centre is enjoying the new iPad, and we are grateful to Phone Donor for this generous gift.

"The benefits of iPads for people with learning disabilities are numerous – the touch-screen technology and lightweight design is much more user-friendly than PCs.

"There is also a wealth of apps designed for people with special needs and we look forward to exploring them."

Nigel Huxley, Phone Donor's director, said: "Wirral Autistic Society provides vital care and support for young people with autism and their families – so we’re pleased to have made our first iPad donation to the charity."

An auction in aid of the society's Lifetime Appeal will be held later this week.

TV auctioneer John Crane will be in charge of proceedings at the Queen's Royal Hotel, New Brighton on Friday, March 15.

A booze-up in a brewery and a walk-on part in a musical play at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre are just some items under the hammer.

Launched last month, The Lifetime Appeal is Wirral Autistic Society biggest fundraising campaign in the charity's 45-year history.

The first phase of the appeal will see the society's original home, Raby Hall, completely redeveloped at a cost of £755k to provide state of the art self-contained accommodation for eight people suffering from autism.

Entry to Friday’s auction is free of charge. All proceeds from the auction will go direct to the charity.

Further information on the Lifetime Appeal and ways of helping to raise funds for it are from www.wirral.autistic.org or 0151 643 5540.