I WAS privileged to attend, on Friday, September 20, the official opening of the excellent new Unite the Union 'back to work' training centre in Cinderford, together with local councillors and Baroness Royall of Blaisdon.

The centre is situated in the Miners Hall in Wesley Road, and is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30am. While it is a Unite facility, rather than an open access one, Unite have arrangements that make it financially available to all. As District Councillor Di Martin has said, 'The Forest has needed such a facility for a long time to assist in helping the unemployed back into work.'

Centre organiser and Forest resident Andy Hewlett is to be highly commended for this initiative, which will bring courses such as using computers, HGV training, and operating forklift trucks to local workers.

This is a welcome part of Cinderford regeneration. In this time of austerity, with so many Forest residents struggling to find work, and others feeling the pressure of increased costs of living on their families, this will help many to get back to work and increase their earnings. Some will wonder why it is that the District Council Cabinet has not taken the lead on this, but with the pressures on council tax payers, it is especially handy that Unite has been able to invest in Forest regeneration.

It is also a useful reminder that, whichever party forms the incoming Westminster government in May 2015, they will need to have a focus on the cost of living, jobs and growth if we are to bring prosperity back to the Forest.

It is worth stressing that this is a Forest of Dean facility, rather than simply a Cinderford one, and should hopefully be used just as much by residents of Lydney, Micheldean, Newent, Bream, Coleford and others across the Forest. As I travel around the constituency getting to know people and their problems ahead of the forthcoming general election, I shall be publicising this important opportunity.

– Steve Parry-Hear, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Forest of Dean.