Smart Works Reading

SMART Works Reading has moved to a new, larger base to enable the charity to support more local women in need into work.

The new centre opened on September 30 at Enterprise House, 95 London Street, a stone’s throw away from its former office.

It is on several key bus routes and a 10-minute walk from Reading town centre.

Since opening in 2015, Smart Works Reading has delivered thousands of interview, dresssing and coaching appointments and helped about 700 women to get job offers.

The charity has not stopped supporting women throughout the pandemic, shifting to online consultations and delivering workwear and personal care parcels direct to clients’ homes rather than in-person services.

The new rented space will have an extended wardrobe area where clients can be dressed in high-quality workwear, which is theirs to keep.

Tailored, one-to-one employment advice sessions will take place in a private meeting room or online and a new “quiet zone” will also be available for clients and volunteers.

Sarah Burns, who chairs Smart Works Reading, says: “So many inspirational people have already passed through our doors, especially our fantastic clients who work so hard to transform their lives and our incredible volunteers who give so much of their time and expertise for free.

“Our new building will enable us to provide an enhanced service from a
larger and more accessible centre. It has a lift, which will make it much easier for clients with mobility issues to visit us and for us to accept the many fantastic donations of high-quality clothing that we receive from supporters.

“Clothing donations have been on hold recently but we will now be able to reinstate them because of better quarantine, sorting and storage space. We will, for the first time, be able to provide appointments for more than one client simultaneously, while maintaining our stringent covid-19 safety and hygiene measures.

“We are also looking forward to using the space for referral partner information sessions and other events.

“We’d like to thank everyone who is supporting us. We are very grateful to Reading Community Learning Centre, our co-tenant and referral partner, for the first six years of our journey, and look forward to continuing work with them.

“Reserves are being used to fund this project in addition to a grant fom S C Johnson and others. We accept donations through our website, https://reading.
smartworks.org.uk”