A charity helping adults get into work has opened a new shop in a West Cumbrian town.

Home to Work has opened a new charity shop in Cleator Moor, on High Street, to raise cash for the cause as well as providing extra support to its users.

Home to Work hosts the Skills 4 You programme, which was established in 2014 to provide access to skills training for disadvantaged adults who live in the Copeland area.

It offers a safe, relaxed environment for people to learn woodworking and craft skills in its fully equipped workshop on Ennerdale Road.

Karen Jones, managing director at the charity, said: "I am proud to be the managing director and proud of the work that we do here in Cleator Moor.

"The Skills programme relies on grant funding for its survival - we are very grateful to our funders who have supported us for many years - Copeland Community Fund, Cumbria Community Foundation, Sellafield and The National Lottery - but, we wanted to achieve two things with the shop.

"Firstly raise money to help us become self-sufficient and secondly give our learners more opportunity to learn new skills in a supported yet realistic environment."

The charity has an open door policy for adults who have never worked, who have been out of work for some time, who are socially isolated or suffer from a health or mental health issue.

Alongside the practical skills training, Home to Work also offers mentoring, support for preparing CVs, interview techniques and certificated online courses covering health and safety and first aid for example.

Other support includes help with transport costs and the purchase of things such as personal protective equipment or uniforms for people about to start work.

Karen added: "Many of the people referred to us have complex issues which can create barriers to finding employment or making progression with their life.

"Our approach to supporting them is holistic. As well as providing practical skills and support, our knowledgeable staff work with individuals to encourage a change of thinking – like learning to problem solve or get rid of self defeating thoughts.

"We assist the learner to identify their own barriers and then work with them to develop strategies for overcoming these barriers.

"Our therapeutic counsellor offers practical help for them to make the step changes.

"We are all very proud of the fact that since the project began in 2014, 71 per cent of the learners we have helped have gone into volunteering, employment, training."