A project that has helped more than 100 people into permanent employment has earned Helston Town Council national recognition.

The Helston & the Lizard Works scheme was named as runner-up at the National Association of Local Councils’ 2016 Star Awards and now town clerk Chris Dawson and Bev Pascoe from Inclusion Cornwall, who have helped run the project, have attended a reception in the Houses of Parliament to promote the project to MPs at the launch of the 2017 awards.

The scheme has seen Helston Town Council, in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, Inclusion Cornwall and other local groups, support jobseekers into work, upgrading their training and skills base with the main source of funds coming from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The project was given a target of getting 40 people into work in the first year, but actually saw104 benefitting and more than 30 businesses in the Helston and Lizard area signing up to take on jobseekers for work experience.

The project has been so successful that it has been copied in other areas of Cornwall and a three-minute video including some of the success stories can be seen at www.youtube.com/channel/UCsYCwrlvl-ZAKxjnjdcgjTA

Mr Dawson and Ms Pascoe were welcomed to London by West Cornwall MP Derek Thomas, who said he was delighted that such a worthwhile scheme had been recognised at a national level.

Mr Thomas said: "When I first heard of the tremendous success of this initiative I was impressed not just by the sheer number of people who have benefitted but also by the enthusiasm and motivation of the town council and their partners and the way they just get on with the job.

“I was pleased to welcome Chris and Bev to Parliament and also that Helston and the Lizard has been recognised in this way."

Mr Dawson said it was "lovely to be recognised in this way," adding: "I’ve never put the council forward for an award before but I felt it was such a unique project.

"Local businesses benefit as well as the jobseeker and we’ve been able to help a lot of people who have been out of work for more than two years."

The judges said of the Helston & the Lizard Works project: "Helston Town Council’s activities were a shining example of the direction taken by many local councils in looking to move beyond their traditional service delivery boundaries.

"Helston is the first local council in the country that has worked closely with Jobcentre Plus to support unemployed people in their community."