Construction, DIY, and gardening skills teaching project BuildNE visited in Blyth by North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll

BuildNE offers courses, delivered by Gateshead College, in home maintenance, gardening, and specialist construction skills such as at locations across the North East.

Thanks to North of Tyne Combined Authority and European Social Fund grants, the courses are free for people who are unemployed, working fewer than 16 hours a week, or are on a zero hours contract.

On his visit to see a BuildNE gardening skills class in action at the Briardale House community centre in Byth, Mayor Driscoll said: “Projects like this do enormous good in our communities.

“Helping people find meaningful work. Giving them a jumpstart into a new career. Boosting people's confidence in their own skills and abilities. Fostering friendships and combating loneliness. It is fantastic to see.

“I am glad our funding is making a real difference to people’s lives.”

The wide range of hands-on courses, in skills such as rail engineering or building drystone walls, aim to help people back into work or start a new career by providing qualifications, and sometimes include guaranteed work placements.

Training is also offered to help older people learn new skills, make friends, and stay active in later life.

Merika Hagley, from BuildNE, said the impact of these courses has been “life-changing” for some participants.

A number of Ukrainian refugees have also become enrolled in courses recently, and courses aiming to get more women involved in DIY and construction have also been launched.

Pat, from Ashington, is one of the participants on the gardening skills course in Blyth. She said: “I have always wanted to do something like this.

“We were not allowed when we were at school.”

Gillian, from Ellington, is now friends with Pat after the pair met on the course. She said: “You never know, we might be teachers [here], one day.”

Pat replied: “We would be fired in the first week.”

Director of the project, Steve Logan, said the combined £1.5m of funding the project has received is “hugely invaluable” to running the courses.