A team effort: community initiative revamps clubhouse at local football club

As a result of great teamwork between CDG and other local businesses, Newport Football Club has a set of newly decorated function rooms ready to welcome guests at the start of the new Wessex League season.

Alison Baxter, manager of Newport FC, was searching for recruits to decorate the walls of two function rooms at the club, located at St George’s Park on the outskirts of the town, when CDG, which seeks to help those who are unemployed get back into work, were recommended to her by Steve Ray from Vectis Radio.

As well as providing a range of services to help people back into work, CDG provides a free route for local employers looking to recruit the right people into the right jobs.

Seeing an opportunity to brighten up the club whilst offering valuable work experience to local unemployed people, Alison Baxter approached Claire Howarth and Richard Page from the employer engagement team at CDG’s Isle of Wight centre with a proposal, and together they drew up a work schedule for a group of individuals on the CDG programme.

The ten people selected for the work placement have been working four days a week since the end of July and, under supervision, have been responsible for the redecoration of the two rooms from start to finish. Local companies Johnstone’s Decorating Centre and ITS Tools Ltd generously donated wallpaper steamers and decorating materials to the ‘team’.

Alison Baxter commented: “Getting CDG on board was an excellent way to help the unemployed gain some experience and give them something to add to their CV. It’s been great to have a group eager to volunteer their services and show their worth. It is thanks to Johnstone’s, ITS and the help from CDG that we have been able to get a job that needed to be done quickly completed.”

Claire Howarth, employer engagement consultant for CDG on the Isle of Wight, said: “It was a great chance for these ten people who are willing to work and who want to work, and when they were given an opportunity like this one, they really did get stuck in."

The group has done a superb job here, gained valuable work experience and rewarded themselves and the club.”
 

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