The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, was in Redditch on Friday (5 December) to join Remploy's celebrations for International Day of Disabled People.
Ms. Smith attended Remploy's Prospect Hill recruitment branch and joined disabled jobseekers, employers and partner organisations in interactive activities focusing on overcoming barriers to work and presided over a balloon launch to celebrate the achievements of the local people supported into work by the branch since it opened in April this year.
One such successful customer is Christian Beard from Redditch. Christian, 31, received incapacity benefit for two years, struggling with depression and fearing he would never return to work. The branch supported him with skills training and sourced a work placement at Next in the town. Four months on and Christian is loving his role, replenishing and displaying stock on the shop floor.
Christian met Ms. Smith at the branch and said: "It was so exciting to meet our local MP and help celebrate such an important day. Remploy helped me believe in my abilities and that's what International Day is all about: giving a fair chance to everyone, regardless of a disability or health condition."
Remploy is the UK's leading provider of specialist employment services for people who experience complex barriers to work and each year on International Day of Disabled People celebrates the achievements of the people it supports. Last year, the company found 6,500 jobs in mainstream employment for people with a range of disabilities and health conditions.
The Redditch branch was opened in April 2008 to deliver the Government's Pathways to Work programme, operated by Remploy across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.
Pathways to Work provides extra help for people on incapacity benefit to find work.
Ms. Smith was given a tour of the branch to illustrate the services available to jobseekers and met with customers undertaking development and job searching activities.
She said: "Celebrating the International Day of Disabled People is an important opportunity for us to challenge perceptions about the really significant contribution that disabled people can make in the workplace and our wider community. I was delighted to see the efforts that Remploy is making in Redditch to support those with disabilities who wish to take up jobs but the best part of the visit was to meet those who have used these services to find work and improve their lives."
The event concluded with a balloon launch from which tags returned before 15 January 2009 will be entered into a prize draw for a £50 M&S voucher.
Tom Jackson, Remploy's Head of Pathways to Work said: "It was a very positive event and we were delighted that Ms. Smith was able to join us in applauding the efforts of local disabled job seekers, employers and partners."
International Day of Disabled People is an annual observance day, promoted by the United Nations since 1992, and celebrated on December 3rd each year. It promotes an understanding of disability issues and increases awareness of the benefits of achieving full integration for disabled people into every aspect of mainstream society - political, social, economic and cultural.
The theme for this year was "Dignity and Justice for All", and the celebrations at the branch focused on Remploy's vision to promote full integration of disabled people through sustainable employment.