BANBURY’S job club is leading the way for other towns across the country to help their unemployed.

The weekly club was the brainchild of Banbury MP Tony Baldry and opened at the Mill in Spiceball Park.

Since then, two high-profile ministers have visited the club as has a steady stream of representatives from other councils.

Earlier this year, the Shadow Secretary for Work and Pensions, Theresa May, came to find out more about the concept, and peer Baroness Warsi made a film about the job club which was screened at the Conservative Party spring conference.

Several weeks ago, the deputy leader of Coventry City Council visited the job club, and last week the leader of Mid Sussex District council Gordon Marples, came to see how the scheme worked.

The job club was given a massive boost last week after Sainsbury’s used it to advertise 11 jobs for its new store in Market Square, Chipping Norton.

Town and district councillor Kieron Mallon said the representative from Mid Sussex council was given a tour and met job seekers and exhibitors.

He said: “He was very impressed and sent back a glowing message that he was glad he came and his council would try to replicate the job club.

“Banbury is literally leading the way.

“We have had visits from two shadow ministers, quite a few leaders or deputy leaders of councils up and down the country and Baroness Warsi made a film of Banbury job club which is being shown across the country.

“Not only is the job club being recognised by politicians and council leaders as setting the pace it has now been recognised by a major UK retailer like Sainsbury’s who came to the job club for a major recruitment drive for its new superstore.”

The idea behind the job club is a place where unemployed people can get advice about jobs, benefits, re-training or setting up their own business.

It operates every Friday at the Mill between 11.30am and 2.30pm.

For more information call 01295 221863 or email info@banburyjobclub. com