Annual Awards for Achievement 2008

Community Partner of the Year Award 2008

Runner Up - Hastings & Bexhill Wood Recycling Project

Hastings & Bexhill Wood Recycling Project has been selected as a runner-up for an award for achievement for helping the long-term unemployed get back into work.

The innovative project has been short-listed by national employment charity Tomorrow's People in its annual Awards for Achievement. The awards pay tribute to people who have overcome significant barriers in their quest to get back to work and partner organisations that deserve special recognition for their support.

A representative from the scheme attended the awards ceremony at Plaisterers' Hall, London, on Wednesday 12th November. The organisation has been chosen as runner-up in the Community Partner of the Year category, which is awarded to a community group which has helped further the work of Tomorrow's People.

Since 2006, the Hastings and Bexhill based project has worked closely with Tomorrow's People in assisting long-term unemployed people into work. The project offers individuals the opportunity to learn new skills and to make a difference to the environment and the community.

The Environmental Task Force operated by the initiative provides a supervised workforce who assist with environmental maintenance and regeneration projects. This gives clients an insight into how it is possible to improve the world we live in, and gives people a new direction with regards to employment. The local community also benefit from the work which includes litter picks, ground clearance and garden maintenance.

The clients who participate in this scheme learn vital transferable skills such as working as part of a team and using their own initiative, as well as a variety of vocational skills. A number of clients have continued with the Project as paid employees. X from Hastings& Bexhill Wood Recycling Project commented 'It has been very satisfying and rewarding to see the project grow, without Tomorrow's People and their clients our project would not be the flourishing organisation that it is.'

Theresa Pollard, Local Operations Manager for Tomorrow's People in Hastings said 'Hastings& Bexhill Wood Recycling Project is a truly inspirational initiative, set up to help others-to help others! They have a wonderful knack of respecting everybody who comes along - instantly. The organisations achievements with our clients is nothing less than outstanding.'