'A lot of people from newham have got work'

Joanne Southee had applied for about 100 jobs without a single interview since she was made redundant from her previous post as a hospital caterer.

But after almost nine months having to survive on £65-a-week benefits, she says she has got "a smile on my face at last" after landing a job at the Waitrose supermarket at Westfield Stratford City. Ms Southee, 45, is taking vocational courses but does not need the literacy tuition.

The 6.30am to 12.30pm shifts on the fresh food department will treble her net income and end the misery of having to decide "between eating and electricity".

The mother of two said: "It will mean I can go back to a normal life instead of just scrimping by. Without Westfield I would not have got anywhere. I know a lot of people who have got through from Newham and that's good because it should be for local people."

Her breakthrough came when she signed up with Newham Workplace, which helped her find the £21,000-a-year position.

She said: "When I lost my job in January and went on Jobseekers Allowance I lost nearly two-thirds of my income. I got depressed and started spending money I didn't have. And the more jobs I didn't get the more I went into a downward spiral. I racked up debts of about £2,000. Workplace helped me get back my confidence and helped me through the screening processes. Now I know I'll be able to pay back everything I owe. I'm so much happier."