Employment surgery to be held in response to Woolworths closures

12.00.00pm GMT Mon 12th Jan 2009

It is with great sadness that our community sees the closure of Woolworths in Bermondsey and the Elephant and Castle. As well as a loss of services for local people, our thoughts are with all the staff, many of whom who have been very long serving, who have lost their jobs in a difficult economic climate.

Over the past year I have seen more and more people contacting me with financial difficulties surrounding work, pensions and benefits. In fact, I have seen more people struggling with debt than at any other time during my twenty five years as Member of Parliament for North Southwark and Bermondsey. Anyone who is concerned and who lives in North Southwark and Bermondsey is always welcome to contact me.

I will be holding a special employment advice surgery on Friday, 30th January for anyone who has been made redundant, is out of work or is worried that they may lose their job in the near future. I am very pleased that Southwark Works, an excellent local organisation, will be hosting the surgery with me. Southwark Works specialises in helping people with training to get back into work and will be there with me to offer confidential support. In addition to this, I can confirm that advisors from Jobcentre Plus, Work Directions and Working Links will also be attending to help answer your questions about available job and training opportunities, benefits, CV development, redundancy packages and other support available in the borough. This is a great opportunity to get up to the minute support from the people in the know.

The advice surgery will be between 10.00am and 1.00pm on Friday, 30th January at Unit 239 (1st Floor) Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, SE1 6TE.

I hope that anyone in need of help with employment issues will come along and that we will be able to support those who are out of work at this tough time.