Leading light Bill rubs shoulders with Gareth Southgate
The founder of an East Durham charity which helps people into work has made it onto a national list of the great and the good alongside Gareth Southgate.
Bill Marley, the man behind unemployment charity the Employability Trust, has been named as one of only 50 business figures in the UK to receive a top national accolade.
Bill, who founded the Peterlee-based charity in 2012, made it onto a list compiled by Women of the Future Programme in association with the Lloyds Banking Group.
The Kindness and Leadership Awards list of the inaugural ’50 Leading Lights’ recognised those people who made an outstanding contribution to business, the economy and society, and featured well-known names including the England Manager and handbag designer Anya Hindmarch CBE.
Bill was presented with his award at a glittering ceremony at the London Stock Exchange yesterday (Tuesday).
“I am absolutely delighted to receive this award, especially alongside such esteemed people as Gareth Southgate, Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever and Anya Hindmarch CBE, to name just a few,” said a delighted Bill.
“This award is a real testament to everything I and the Employability Trust team have achieved over the last few years, helping people who have struggled to find employment gain the skills needed to move into secure work.
“I am truly humbled to be recognised in this way and am grateful to everyone who has helped me on the journey I have been on since launching the trust six years ago,” he added
The Employability Trust has helped hundreds of long term unemployed people gain sustainable employment with a variety of companies throughout the North East.
The charity provides practical work experience and passing on the skills necessary to move into the world of work.