FORTY long-term unemployed people in the Sudbury area have secured jobs thanks to an initiative between a supermarket chain and local organisations.

Sainsbury’s, which is due to open a new store in Cornard Road next month, has worked with Jobcentre Plus, West Suffolk College Leap Centre, Papworth Trust and Mencap to fill the positions.

The 230 full and part-time vacancies at the new shop have been welcomed, and come at a time when other major employers in the town are announcing staff cuts.

Sainsbury’s confirmed that it had worked with Jobcentre Plus to offer dozens of the jobs to the long-term unemployed, who were invited to attend a pre-employment training workshop at the Leap Centre. More than 70 of them were interviewed according to Sainsbury’s Sudbury store manager, Martin Pyle, who said: “We were delighted to be able to link up so successfully with Jobcentre Plus and West Suffolk College Leap Centre.

“The event was a real success and we are very pleased that we have been able to offer positions to 40 local people who had previously been long-term unemployed.

“We have had a terrific response from the community to the new store and are really looking forward to opening soon.”

Anne Cutts, of Sudbury Jobcentre Plus, said: “There are jobs out there and successful partnerships like this can give local job-seekers the support they need to get into work. We hope to continue to work with Sainsbury’s and West Suffolk College Leap Centre to help job-seekers take up further opportunities.”

Last November, Babergh’s planning committee voted almost unanimously to allow the 600sq ft retail unit, with caf� and 300-space car park to be built on the former William Armes factory site.

As a planning condition, Sainsbury’s is to contribute �100,000 which will be spent on improving the town’s bus stations, and �55,000 to be spent on upgrading two public footpaths.

Other improvements under the conditions include �150,000 to provide a crossing in Girling Street and �10,000 for a shared cycle/pedestrian route. Also, �60,000 has been earmarked to pay for a market town development manager.