Every year a bursary of up to £1,000 is made to a young person from Thornaby in memory of Alan Robson who passed away aged 61 in 2009
Alan Robson set up Five Lamps over 28 years ago, under its former name Thornaby Impasse, to help the unemployed. Since then, the organisation has broadened its remit and now helps people to find work, start their own business, improve their finances and provide activities for young people, delivering these services across the North East and Yorkshire.
This year it was decided that the bursary would help towards funding an apprentice post at Five Lamps. The apprentice post is for one year and the successful person would be working towards a Level 2 in Business Administration.
The successful candidate who was interviewed for the apprentice post was a local woman Kirsty Nunn. Kirsty had been unemployed for six years and was working with the Five Lamps employability team under the Work Programme.
Karen O’Hara Five Lamps Intensive Support Worker informed Kirsty of the apprentice post and Kirsty felt this could be a good opportunity for her as she was always interested in the services Five Lamps had to offer. Also gaining a qualification in Business Administration would help her in any future employment.
Kirsty has just completed the first month of her apprenticeship and in that time she has gained skills and experience on a number of services which Five Lamps deliver.
Kirsty said
“I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship at Five Lamps. I am gaining new skills and experience I never thought would be possible! I am really enjoying working at Five Lamps”
Alan, a father of six from Thornaby, had been chronically ill before he died suddenly of a heart attack. His wife Joan has been involved in the Alan Robson Bursary with Five Lamps since it was established in 2009
Joan said
“Now in its fourth year, Alan would be amazed to have seen a bursary set up in his name to help local young people. He was always enthusiastic about young people getting help like this.”
Five Lamps operate from 5 business premises across Stockton, have a staff of 85 and expect to turnover c£3.5million this year. Our integrated service portfolio now spans
- Empty Homes in County Durham and Darlington
- Financial Inclusion work from Berwick to Scarborough, with £5.2million of lending last year
- Business start-up support, including mentoring and access to finance, with loans up to £50000
- Employability support in Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland
- Youth services, including our VIBE special needs programme and MyBnK
- Helping Hand’ the regional private housing financial assistance programme delivered for all twelve north-east local authorities
- The DWP New Enterprise Allowance Loan Service for the North East and Yorkshire which has enabled nearly 2500 people to leave benefits and start a business in the last two years, and
- Welfare Assistance delivery in Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham and Northumberland.
This year over 25000 people will receive Five Lamps services.