Linda Barker- changing rooms & learners perceptions

Linda Barker from BBC’s Changing Rooms and the Deputy Mayor of Lambeth presented learners from the ESF Funded Lambeth Women’s Workshop with their certificates in Carpentry and Bench Joinery. Linda Barker is a long term supporter of the workshop and commented that: ‘It is really nice to see a project that is helping people and addressing the skills shortages in a normally male dominated profession’.

Linda Barker from BBC’s Changing Rooms and the Deputy Mayor of Lambeth presented learners from the ESF Funded Lambeth Women’s Workshop with their certificates in Carpentry and Bench Joinery. Linda Barker is a long term supporter of the workshop and commented that: ‘It is really nice to see a project that is helping people and addressing the skills shortages in a normally male dominated profession’.

Linda Barker and the Deputy Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Daphne Marchant, saw the women in action in the workshop and were amazed at the skills levels demonstrated and especially in the woodwork that had been made – an example of that stood out was a staircase that one of the students had made. Linda admiring one of the students’ handiwork

The aim of the project is to give unemployed women the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to use carpentry and joinery skills to gain employment opportunities. The project is specifically targeted at unemployed women facing multiple barriers, i.e. ethnic minorities, lesbians, women with little or no formal education, ex-offenders and older women. There is no other other course in the area that offers the same training. This project has received £289,919 from the European Social Fund (ESF). Many of the women have attained an industry-recognised qualification which will now give them a much better chance to enter into work or even start their own business. The Charity has been in existence for over 20 years, the women have often helped out in other projects in the community demonstrating the practical skills that they have learnt.