OVER 300 people from Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea have improved their skills or gained employment following a project run by East Lindsey District Council.

The Coastal Learning Project was funded by the District Council, European Social Fund and Lincolnshire Enterprise to help people on the coast who were either unemployed or at risk of being unemployed to improve their skills.

The courses offered varied from ‘how to use e-bay’ and silk painting to nationally recognised qualifications in health and safety, food safety and literacy.

At a presentation evening held at the Mablethorpe Learning Centre to acknowledge the efforts of those involved in the project, special prizes were given to Neil Douglas, Marie Carlyle and Tracy Lee who had all progressed into further training. An ‘Achievement Award’ was presented to Charlotte Clarke for progression in IT.

Project beneficiary Donna Wileman of Mablethorpe said: "Through this project I have learned a lot, gained several qualifications and become more self confident and independent."

The Council’s Chief Executive, who addressed the presentation evening, said: "We have recognised that the coastal areas have many challenges for us, which we are keen to address. The Coastal Learning Project provided people with a way to access support, guidance and training to address their skills and knowledge to make a better future for themselves. It is a prime example of how we can make a difference to improve opportunities to learning, and as a Council this is something that we will continue to work on so that in five years time more people are in skilled employment, education or running successful businesses," he said.