Corrie Star Makes Party Fizz With Festive Fun
Soap actress Jennie McAlpine brought extra festive cheer to the council’s Supported Employment Service celebration evening.
“I am so proud of you all,” the 27 year old told those attending the Ince town hall event this week. “You do great work and are a huge inspiration.”
No stranger to volunteering to work with people with particular needs, Fizz Stape actress Jennie McAlpine gave her time freely to present awards to locals who have been supported into jobs with assistance from the council. Certificates were presented for long service – including Lisa Bradbury’s 15 years with Britannia Bridge School in Ince and David Hall for 15 years’ service with Asda (previously Netto) in the centre of Leigh.
Senior council officers and politicians were there, including deputy leader Cllr David Molyneux and cabinet champion for customers Cllr Chris Ready, who have both visited many of the service users in their places of work in the last year.
Cllr Molyneux said: “The firms represented tonight already make an important contribution to jobs and the economy in our borough. But they are not just an ordinary business, because they make time to do extraordinary things by supporting a diverse workforce.”
MPs Andy Burnham and Yvonne Fovargue spent time meeting the employees and their bosses. Mr Burnham was encouraged by the numbers of people from Leigh who have held down long term employment in the borough and Ms Yvonne Fovargue singled out the Northern Feather pillow factory, which successfully employs several people under Supported Employment.
The awards night enables the council to acknowledge the long term achievements of individuals who they’ve supported into permanent work, as well as applaud bosses from firms like Northern Harvest, Morrisons, the Co-Op and Ashton’s Northern Feather who have excelled in displaying good equal opportunities practice and employing a workforce that reflects local communities.
As the fun part of the evening began, Andy Burnham also presented Jennie McAlpine with her own
