Rossendale charity doubles its workforce (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rossendale charity doubles its workforce

5:00pm Saturday 21st July 2012 in News

A CHARITY awarded a £100,000 grant is able to double its workforce thanks to the money.

REAL, which offers practical support to groups in Rossendale, is set to hire five new staff after its bid for funds was accepted by community enterprise group Locality.

The roles as community organisers will be offered to local people as the Bacup-based charity seeks to boost its presence in the Valley.

REAL’s work includes managing a network of qualified psychotherapists and providing payroll, bookkeeping and accounting support to small organisations.

Development worker Pat Smith, who helped with the bid, said she was ‘ecstatic’.

She said: “What we’re hoping to do with these new staff is very different and forward-thinking. We’re delighted to be able to expand during such tough times.

“We applied for the money before Christmas so it’s been an anxious wait. The new trainees will start in October.”

The five fixed-term year-long positions will result in a recognised qualification for the employees.

Each worker will be assigned an area of the Valley, calling from house-to-house and getting feedback from people on what they feel can be done to improve the area.

Pat added: “We are looking for people who are keen and interested in their community and who are positive about helping others to make a difference.

“We think this is a really exciting opportunity for self-motivated people in Rossendale who want to make a very real difference to our communities.”

“We at REAL can see the potential for this to make a big impact. It is about reconnecting communities. Rossendale is a very traditional area with strong local identities.”

Those interested in the positions can meet the group at Haslingden Community Link on July 25 from 4pm to 8pm.