No problems come out in the wash

The Aycliffe Young People's Centre provides quality, specialist secure accommodation for up to 42 young people between the ages of 11 and 17, most of whom need intensive support to turn their lives around. The purpose-built centre opened in 2011.

The unit incorporates a central laundry which handles all the bed linen, towels and kitchen cloths. It was equipped by Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems with two Primus FS13/3 washer extractors, each with a capacity of 13kg, and two Huebsch 16kg tumble dryers. The residents' personal laundry is done by themselves under supervision in satellite units equipped with semi commercial machines.

Dorothy Powell, facilities and support services manager for the centre, says the central laundry runs three to four hours a day. 'We have been very pleased with the Armstrong equipment,' says Powell. 'It's easy to use and I don't think we've had to call Armstrong out at all since it opened.'