A scheme to help lone parents in Maldon and Burnham will be launched next week.

The Employment Service project is aimed at helping single parents who have been isolated in rural areas to break into the job market.

Surgeries will be held once a month on a trial basis at Burnham Town Council offices and St Cedd's House, Princes Road, Maldon.

Lone parent adviser said Petra King said: "My main aim is to increase awareness of new deals for single parents and what the benefits are."

She said the area had been neglected in terms of services provided, and added: "Maldon used to have a Job Centre, but it is no longer there. Chelmsford Job Centre can be difficult to reach at times.

"At least by going to the areas, people are not deprived and know what is going on.

"A lot of of lone parents want to go back to work, but they don't known how to go about it. I can tell them about training and offer any help we can in finding a job.

"A lot want to go back to work without taking everything into account and are not ready, but we want to help them reach their goal."

Other unemployed people also look set to be helped as the Job Centre intends to send a representative to the surgeries with vacancies available.

Surgeries will be held at Burnham Town Council offices on March 10, April 7 and May 5, between 9.30am and 1pm.

The first session will be on an informal basis, and no appointments are needed. It might become necessary to make appointments, depending on demand.

Maldon surgeries will be held on March 16, from 10am to 1.30pm at St Cedd's House, meeting room number 20, followed by April 13, 10am to 2.30pm.

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