Standing up for victims of jobs crisis

The Northern Echo has joined forces with a range of organisations - including One NorthEast, County Durham Development Company, and Durham County Council - to launch a campaign of support for communities hard hit by the manufacturing crisis in the region.

Working For A Future aims to promote efforts to regenerate those communities, such as Spennymoor, which suffered the devastating news of 950 Black & Decker job losses last week, and Weardale, which has suffered major losses at the Lafarge Blue Circle plant and Weardale Steel.

Since the announcement, The Northern Echo has had talks with development leaders with a view to launching today's campaign.

The aims are:

• To press for urgent infrastructure investment via central, regional and European sources in communities ravaged by job losses.

• To encourage and promote new business initiatives, particularly the creation of small businesses, in areas hardest hit.

• To support community initiatives aimed at improving the living and working environments of those areas.

• The campaign will include a Job Search service, which offers people who have lost their jobs the chance to advertise their skills free of charge in The Northern Echo.

Victims of job cuts can fill in the form below and we will publish their details.

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, said: "The Black & Decker announcement was devastating news, particularly for Spennymoor but also for the wider region.

"Coming on top of the Blue Circle closure in Weardale, plus the Weardale Steel job losses announced last week, it is becoming increasingly clear that communities in our region need widespread support.

"The Northern Echo wishes to play its part in trying to provide practical support through publicity for new businesses, community initiatives and the job-seekers themselves."

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