February 7, 2012 1.47 pm This story is over 145 months old

Apprentices spruce up Lincoln domestic abuse shelter

Helping hand: Apprentices help revamp accommodation used by the Lincoln Integrated Domestic Abuse Services (LIDAS).

Apprentices from the City Council helped spruce up on Tuesday accommodation used by the Lincoln Integrated Domestic Abuse Services (LIDAS – formally Lincoln Women’s Aid).

The young apprentices revamped one of the LIDAS rooms and other local businesses have offered a helping hand as well.

Jewson, courtesy of Dulux, provided all materials free of charge, and Lindum Waste disposed of any waste materials.

The initiative is to mark National Apprenticeship Week (February 6-10) with City Council business administration and craft apprentices taking part.

Later in the week, the apprentices have organised a dress down day and cake sale at City Council sites, with all proceeds going towards LIDAS.

This is an annual event, with apprentices raising around £1,000 for charities over the last two years, including Lincoln Alzheimer’s Association and the Nomad Trust.

Jen Teague, a business administration apprentice since September 2010, helped to organise the activities for Apprenticeship Week:

“Working with LIDAS is a real positive for the apprenticeship scheme – it gives us invaluable experience of working with some of the most vulnerable members of our community and means we can put our development and training into practice.”

Jane Newman, Work Based Learning Officer at the City Council, said: “Opportunities like this for partnership working, volunteering and fundraising to support the local community needs are excellent.”

Source: City of Lincoln Council | Photo: Dominic Clark for The Lincolnite