Woolies workers meet the PM

Earlier this week, BBC News met three former Woolworths workers, struggling to find new jobs. After hearing that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had said that jobs were being created, one of them, Evelyn Downey, challenged him to "come to Corby and show me where they are, because I can't find any".

Mr Brown agreed to meet them. BBC economics reporter Steven Duke was in Corby to hear how the meeting went.

Former workers Frances Little, Everlyn Downey and Steve Tait wait to meet the PM

Sat in an out-of-town supermarket cafe, you get to overhear plenty of conversation tit-bits, but you tend not to hear, "When I meet the Prime Minister later I'm going to tell him..."

Three former Woolworths workers that the BBC interviewed a few days ago are having that very conversation.

The Prime Minister is in town to speak to students at the official opening of an impressive new business academy, and he's agreed to meet our jobseekers - Evelyn, Frances and Steve.

Over a cup of tea beforehand, they're considering what questions to ask the UK's leader.

It might not make a difference to jobs today, but he gave me hope Evelyn Downey 'Soul destroying' life after Woolies

"Why are there just two trains a day from the local station?" and, "Why do so many employers not use the job centre to advertise their vacancies?" These are just some of the questions voiced.

But they know the key question they want to ask, and they know it's a question he can't answer, "When will I get another job?"

A short drive away is the academy, and parked outside is the distinctive green jaguar of a world leader.

After a short wait, and at 11am on the dot, an official from Downing Street escorts the three of them into the building.

Hopeful

Earlier this week, former Woolies worker Evelyn Downey invites Mr Brown to Corby

A little over an hour later the Jaguar rolls away with the prime minister onboard. And a few moments after that, Evelyn, Frances and Steve walk out of the school.

"He chatted to us for about 10 minutes, but it felt like we had as much time as we liked with him," says Frances, the former Woolworths sales assistant.

Mr Brown began by apologising about the collapse of Woolies, but as Frances notes, "he can't bring back Woolworths. No one can."

The conversation turned to the role of job centres, and how to ensure more vacancies make their way on to the centres' boards - he promised to take action.

"It might not make a difference to jobs today, but he gave me hope," says Evelyn, "not for this very second, but for the future."

Steve shares the sentiment. "It was a nice conversation, and he did offer reassurances about getting retailers to advertise vacancies at the local job centres," he remarks, before adding, "but there's no short term solutions."

Before the trio leave academy, Frances wistfully reminds herself that: "He's got the whole country to think about, not just Corby." A fact lost on no-one, but they all appreciated their gift of the prime minister's ear.