From its offices in Gildredge Road, People Matter helps provide some 500 people a year with the basic skills needed to find a job. This can include improving communication ability, constructing a CV or simply counselling and rebuilding confidence.

The charity is founded on Christian principles and supported by local churches of all denominations, but its approach is all-embracing and there are no pre-conditions for those who become its clients.

The annual presentation - and Saturday's was its eighth - is an informal but highly informative update on the work of People Matter for its supporters.

It achieves this through a series of interviews conducted by the general manager, Peter Moore.

Joining him on the rostrum were guests ranging from the Mayor, Cllr Mary Pooley, and MP Nigel Waterson, to those who have been helped back into work by People Matter's staff and volunteer advisers.

People Matter is one of the mayor's chosen charities during her year in office, and she explained how she had been introduced to its work some years ago by former mayor Janet Grist, who is now a patron and keen fund-raiser.

Cllr Pooley said she had been immediately impressed by its work in helping those in need of a job, and, in reply to a question from Mr Moore about job prospects in Eastbourne, she underlined the need for improved road links to bring new business to the town.

"I want young people to be able to stay here and find good jobs, rather than have to look elswhere", she said.

Mr Waterson also stressed the need for a better A27 link to tempt big employers back.

On the broader issue of creating jobs, he said he believed the current
complex benefits system could be a disincentive to work and he was concerned that there were five million people of working age without jobs.

The 100-strong audience heard from volunteer client advisers Joyce Ford and Ray Dadswell.

Asked what the main problems were for job seekers, Joyce indentified lack of qualifications and lack of communication and interview skills.

She added, "We can also help by pointing out to the discouraged what they have to offer", and Ray Dadswell echoed this point stressing how important it was to give clients hope and boost their morale.

The value of People Matter was confirmed by job seeker Aidan Harrison who has been unemployed for six months but is determined to make a career in electrical installation.

He said he lacked a decent CV and qualifications, but People Matter was helping rectify this and boosting his self-confidence.

Joint patron of People Matter, Janet Grist, said she was drawn to the charity because it was there to benefit Eastbourne people.

She stages a regular garden party to raise funds, and urged others to come up with money-raising events.

The final speaker was the Rev Ian White, senior minister at Victoria Baptist Church, who praised the work of the organisation which, he said, could change the world for some people. Those working for it were there because people mattered to God, but that work was carried out 'without ramming the Gospel down people's throats'."

Dr White said we were living in a society in which the strong get stronger and the weak get weaker. People Matter was at the cutting edge in helping the powerless.