RESIDENTS of an Oxford city centre homeless hostel who started painting and decorating less than a year ago are now planning to set up their own business.

The residents of Simon House — a dry hostel for 18- to 65-year-old former drug addicts, alcoholics and offenders in Paradise Street, Oxford — last year gained a National Open College Network (NOCN) certificate in painting and decorating (Level 1).

The course was carried out in a specially-built training workshop at the hostel, funded by the Home Office, where students learned the basics of basics of preparation, painting, glossing and wallpapering.

Now, some of them have used the challenging job of transforming another Oxford hostel to reach their NOCN Diploma level and are aiming even higher, with plans to set up their ownbusiness.

Simon House deputy project manager Darren Lewis said: “What the students have achieved in such a short time is incredible.

“After the first wave reached their certificate level last year, more residents started to train.

“Some of the first students were involved with decorating London Place, one of Simon House’s satellite buildings in St Clements, Oxford. Then The Porch Steppin' Stone Centre in Magdalen Road, Oxford, heard about our work and contacted us because they needed a complete redecoration of their premises.

“We have used the contract not only to totally transform the building for them, but also for the students to attain Diploma level, which is fantastic news, as some of them have already used their new skills to move out of Simon House and are now looking at entering full time careers as painters and decorators.”

One of the young decorators, Mike Surfleet, 26, said: “As a result of the new confidence and boost it gave me, I was able to move out of Simon House, get a flat with a mate and start looking to the future.

“I’m hoping the new company will have a job for me.”

Simon House resident Georgina Stredder, 34, the first woman on the painting and decorating course, said it had transformed her life. She said: “I’ve been at Simon House for 11 months. I came with no qualifications but now thanks to the course I hope to have my own home soon and a new career too.

“I always though painting was quite simple, but I have learned it is a skill and have really enjoyed learning the techniques and seeing a project like this come together. Basically it has turned my life around.”

Tutor Mike Higgins said: “If things go to plan, residents of Simon House will be getting qualifications and jobs.”

All the money earned from the Steppin' Stone job will now be ploughed back into Simon House to give more residents the opportunity to train.

dwaite@oxfordmail.co.uk