A RAY of hope for Enfield's unemployed could come in the shape of a jobs fair later this month championed by the area's Conservative MP.

Enfield Jobs Fair will be hosted by MP Nick de Bois on Friday, January 21, at Southbury Leisure Centre, in Southbury Road, and act as a meeting place for those hunting for jobs, employers, recruitment agencies and representatives from further education colleges.

Opportunities will be available to learn about current and future job vacancies, get one-to-one advice on how to enter particular professions and to raise awareness of alternative routes into employment such as apprenticeships.

The Enfield North MP said he felt a duty to support the event in order to achieve his party's Big Society vision by offering practical solutions to ending unemployment.

Mr de Bois said: "During this difficult time for the economy I am keen to help provide opportunities for those in Enfield who may be in need of work through redundancy or are simply finding it difficult to get their first job.

"Until I was elected to Parliament earlier this year I spent more than 25 years building my own business and understand the value of good quality local employees to a company. I believe that at a time when economic difficulty will lead to many people feeling abandoned, it is the role of the community to support and aid them where possible."

Up to 30 organisations are due to attend including Asda, Reed, Barclays, Johnson Matthey, Southgate College and horticultural school Capel Manor.

Enfield Enterprise is also expected to attend to give advice on how to start your own business.

The jobs fair will be followed by a monthly job club where out-of-work residents can be mentored and given support such as internet access and tips to improve their CVs on a drop-in basis.