Hyndburn charity scheme helping residents get back to work (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Hyndburn charity scheme helping residents get back to work

8:36am Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Business By Catherine Pye, Reporter

THIRTY people have boosted their health and work prospects with help from a Hyndburn charity scheme.

Hyndburn New Steps is run by East Lancashire into Employment (ELE), which offers training to residents who may have health problems or other barriers to working.

Zafar Ali, 46, was given guidance by a member of the scheme and now runs Clayton-le-Moors Post Office, employing two staff.

Zafar said: “The New Steps Training really helped me to find out all I needed to know about running my own business and now I’m doing something I love, offering a service to the local community and providing work for two more staff.

“Many thanks to the team at East Lancashire into Employment for helping me to make this new start.”

Brenda Kean, manager of ELE, said: “We offer them advice and training in a safe, non-threatening environment, at their own pace.”

Coun Bernard Dawson, chairman of ELE, said: “The New Steps scheme has done some great work to help people with health limitations back into work.”