MOTHERS in the Darlington area who want to return to work are being offered the chance to kick-start their careers.

Freshstart is a flexible training programme, which fits around school hours and school holidays, and aims to ease parents or anyone returning to the labour market, back into employment.

Christine Chun and Jo Richardson, who are both mothers, have been appointed to run the courses in the North-East.

Christine said: "Often people who have been out of work for a while find it hard to regain the confidence to go back into a job. Freshstart boosts people's confidence and gives them new skills in a wide range of areas, including computing, customer care, call-handling, job searching and interview skills."

Freshstart is a free course and is available to anyone aged between 18 and 65, who is currently unemployed or in part-time employment of less than 16 hours a week.

Anyone interested should call 0191-565 3153 or 0191-487 4454.