Two thousand members have now been helped to change their lives, thanks to a fund set up by the eaga Trust to support those who worked for North East based Eaga plc.
Skill-builder Plus offers funding of £2000 to Trust members, all of whom are former employees of Eaga looking to start their own businesses, improve their skills or retrain for new careers.
The 2000th recipient, Gary Minns, plans to use his grant to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a writer.
Gary, 52, is a former Eaga gas engineer from Ipswich, and he aims to enrol on a six-month creative writing course to further his dream of writing fiction.
“With any luck, by this time next year I will have published my first novel,” said the married father of two who now works for a heating company.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and the Skill-builder Plus grant will go a long way to paying the tuition fees.
“It’s not often anyone – let alone a Trust set up by a former employer – offers you the money and the support to help you fulfil your dreams but that’s just what the eaga Trust does. It’s incredibly generous and I can’t wait to get started.”
“We are incredibly proud to have handed out our 2000th Skill-builder Plus, said Richard Marr, Chief Operating Officer at the eaga Trust.
“But there are still former Eaga employees who are eligible for membership of the eaga Trust and just may not realise the help and support we can offer and we would urge them to get in touch.”
Membership of the eaga Trust offers a range of benefits including self-development courses, business start-up loans and guidance for those planning to start their own, employee-owned businesses.
Anyone who thinks they may be eligible for Trust membership should register at www.eagatrust.com.