Groundwork helps Arran return to work

HELPING the environment and people into jobs are two of the main aims of charity Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale.

And it managed to fulfil both when helping people find work with a green business that’s opened in Oldham with the global theme of saving the planet.

Richard Hooton found out more about the business and the staff that are helping the borough become more eco-friendly.

GROUNDWORK Oldham and Rochdale does an abundance of work to help both boroughs and their residents.

It’s probably best known for its initiatives to clean-up neighbourhoods through litter picks and environmental schemes, but it also does a huge amount of work with businesses and job seekers.

One of its initiatives is to create jobs with employers so that incapacity benefit claimants and lone parents can get work experience and secure jobs.

The charity can pay up to 17 weeks salary costs to open doors with employers and allow them to assess potential recruits over an extended period. More than 65 per cent of employers offer full-time contracts after the 17 weeks are up.

Groundwork can also help people prepare for interviews and has helped around 250 people to find a job, while hundreds more jobseekers have gained essential qualifications thanks to them.

The charity works with Shaw Trust to reduce the number of people claiming incapacity benefit by helping them get a job and retain it — from buying someone a suit for an interview to a set of tools to carry out their work.

One of the businesses Groundwork has teamed up with is Green Planet Fuel, run by Mick Hallwood, Anthony Keegan and Wayne Sansby, with the business motto “fuel that won’t cost the earth”.

They collect wood, dry it out and then chop and put it in bundles to use as fuel for wood-burning stoves.

The firm, operating from a two-acre site at Hill Stores, off Huddersfield Road, Oldham, already has agreements with three tree surgery businesses to recycle wood, which previously had to pay to dispose of it in landfill.

By recycling the wood Green Planet Fuel can reduce use of landfill and reduce emissions of methane gas, which is 21 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide.

The firm hopes to get more tree surgeons in the private and public sector on board, and are prepared to accept suitable wood (with no paint or nails in) from building sites.

By the autumn the trio expect to start selling their bundled wood to the increasing number of people who own wood-burning stoves, of which sales rose by 30 per cent in the UK last year.

They are also organising a chippings service which they hope to sell to power stations.

The trio are maintaining their full-time jobs while establishing the business and won’t make any money until they start selling the wood.

Groundwork has supplied three members of staff to help get the site ready for full operation and say the potential for the company is huge.

One of them is Arran Hawkins (21), from Oldham, who is working as a manual labourer helping to chop and stack logs.

He said of the physically demanding work: “It’s not for the faint-hearted but I enjoy it as it means I don’t have to go the gym. I love it. It’s definitely a green company. The bosses are good and really down to earth. It’s a great company.”

Groundwork’s initiative has helped Arran get a job after an injury left him struggling.

He said: “I broke my ankle in August last year and was out of work and on income support. When my ankle got better the Job Centre sent me to Shaw Trust and Groundwork, who told me about the job. I had an interview and was successful.”

Before taking on the role a few months ago, Groundwork organised training sessions for Arran that included health and safety advice, including guidance on manual labour to help protect Arran’s back while carrying out the strenuous work.

Arran added: “Groundwork organises it for everyone before they go into work as they want everyone to be safe.”

And the environmental aspect of knowing his job is helping the planet also appeals to Arran and gives job satisfaction.

He said: “I do care about that as it’s about the future of the planet for my children and their children to live on. I hope I will be here for a long while if everything goes according to plan. I’m really glad they helped me to get the job.”