Jobs help for redundant workers

Former factory workers were advised by job centre staff

A job centre in Cardigan opened on Saturday to cope with demand from workers made redundant from the Dewhirst clothes factory.

Workers at the clothing firm locked off for the final time on Friday when the plant was closed down.

We were able to help people register and give them advice

Morfydd Davies, job centre

In common with other job centres, the Cardigan branch normally opens Monday to Friday only.

But staff were brought in specifically to help people from the factory register for benefits and look for new employment.

About 25 appointments were processed during the three hours the centre was open.

Morfydd Davies, manager of the job centre, said that people who made bookings were keen to start looking for new work.

"Everyone who had made an appointment turned up," she said.

"We were able to help people register and give them advice on using the job centre services," she said.

The job losses have been a big blow to the Cardigan area

The 325 members of staff were made redundant at the factory.

Jobs have already been found for about a hundred former Dewhirst workers, thanks to jobs fairs held after the closure was announced in July.

People who made appointments were shown what facilities were available to help find new work, through the internet service and a telephone hotline.

Dewhirst is in the process of switching production from Wales to Morocco, to take advantage of lower labour costs.

The plant in Cardigan supplied ladies jeans to high street chain Marks & Spencer.

The unemployment rate in the Cardigan area doubled overnight with the announcement the factory was closing.