MEMBERS of the ‘100 Women First’ project in Bridgwater were movie stars for a morning when the Department for Work and Pensions paid a visit to record them on camera for a film which will be shown nationwide.

The project, run by the Sedgemoor District Council led, Employment and Skills Centre ‘Under Construction’, aims to help local women fulfil their employment potential by improving their skills, confidence and well-being.

According to the Council’s Employment, Skills and Training Manager, Caroline Derrick, the results so far have been amazing with eighty-four women signed up as members in the first five months.

“We have assisted 11 of our members into paid work, helped three start-up businesses to get off the ground and referred 24 women to Positive People projects,” said Caroline who was one of those interviewed on camera.

“We focus on many different areas of our members’ lives and it has been great to see them grow in confidence and self-belief,” she said.

Somerset and Hinkley Partnership Manager for the Department for Work and Pensions, Ali Porter, MBE, introduced the video with an account of how the 100 Women First idea came about and the collaboration between the project team and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The project runs until March 2020.