A project aimed at supporting people from the Great Yarmouth area to develop their skills and get involved in volunteer opportunities at one of the region's main hospital has begun.

The James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston has teamed up with the Bread Kitchen scheme to set up a volunteer pilot ground maintenance project involving local people looking to gain experience of working in that sector.

It will involve volunteers working on a small scale ground maintenance project outside of the Burrage Centre on the James Paget site to help them learn skills and develop relationships with teams at the hospital and in the community.

The pilot is supported by a £10,000 allocation from Norfolk’s Inclusive Economy Project led by East Coast College and funded by the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund and will run until December.

If it proves a success other similar projects may follow.

Eastern Daily Press: A bird's eye view of the James Paget University Hospital in GorlestonA bird's eye view of the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston (Image: JPUH)

Jonathan Barber, director of strategy and transformation at the James Paget, said: “Working with the Bread Kitchen is a fantastic opportunity for our hospital to learn how we can be even more inclusive as an employer, and provide support to local people that may face additional barriers in finding work."

Great Yarmouth-based Bread Kitchen was set up to train and raise the aspirations of people in the borough.

As part of its work it has a community allotment at Potters Field near the hospital.

In a joint statement Mike Smith-Clare and Cathy Cordiner-Achenbach, co-founders and directors of the Bread Kitchen, said: “We are delighted to be a part of this exciting project that enables partners, volunteers and the wider community to develop new skills and ways of working together."

Eastern Daily Press: Good to Grow co-director Mike Smith-Clare (left), administrator Sandy Lysaght and co-director Cathy Cordiner-Achenbach have built a community allotment in Gorleston with the help of residents from Gorleston and Great Yarmoth.Good to Grow co-director Mike Smith-Clare (left), administrator Sandy Lysaght and co-director Cathy Cordiner-Achenbach have built a community allotment in Gorleston with the help of residents from Gorleston and Great Yarmoth. (Image: James Weeds)

Norfolk's Inclusive Economy project has received £597,760 from the government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Stuart Jennings, projects and communities manager at East Coast College, said: “This marks a very special milestone for the Inclusive Economy project.

"At a time when people need employment support the most, I am delighted that Bread Kitchen’s innovative project will provide a new community-based approach to supporting people, which is why we are looking forward to working with them and the James Paget Hospital on this progressive project.”