Charity offers hope of jobs

A VETERINARY charity is encouraging job seekers in Edinburgh to try volunteering as a route to gaining full-time employment.

PDSA, which has more than 5000 volunteers across the UK, has released figures which show 40 per cent of its former volunteers surveyed moved on because they gained employment or went back into education - thanks to new skills gained with the charity.

To mark National Volunteers' Week from June 1 to 7, PDSA is encouraging anyone interested in volunteering and improving their employment prospects to give it a try at their local store.

Supporting PDSA's volunteering programme, Alex Davies, project manager at the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, said: "PDSA's retail training is a great way for young people to learn about charity retailing."