At 3.30pm Minister Stephen Timms was joined by industry figures, the Bridge NDC representatives, retailers, designers and future trainees to review The Workshop and Florentia Clothing Village. With unemployment such a hot topic the BBC covered the story with interviews from key individuals.

The Stitch in Time programme is aimed at unemployed residents of the Seven Sisters area of Haringey, providing them with training and motivational seminars aimed at enabling them to obtain a job in the fashion industry locally. If successful, it is intended that the programme is rolled out across the borough.

The programme is a project supported and developed in partnership with the Bridge New Deal for Communities, Haringey Council and the Florentia Clothing Village in Seven Sisters.

The training will take place at Fashion Enter’s The Workshop where clients include leading retailer asos.com and top British label Jaeger. Trainees will initially be assessed and if they are suitable will be given two weeks intensive introduction into the fashion industry followed by two weeks work placement with a local garment manufacturer.

Today was a great success and it was fantastic to see such a high level of support. Those who attended had the opportunity to review all the facilities available at The Workshop, were given a guided tour around the Florentia Clothing Village and met with Michael Chambi of Mark Anthony and the Managers of the CMT units.

Stitch in Time is set to break the current trend in unemployment by creating fresh opportunities combined with the necessary training to get ahead in the industry. This is a very exciting time and Fashion Enter would like to thank everyone involved for their support.