THE Prime Minster has praised the “inspirational” work of a Corsham organisation that helps the partners of military personnel into employment.

Founded in 2009 by military wife and former journalist Heledd Kendrick, Recruit for Spouses is a social enterprise employment agency that offers advice and support. It has been granted a Big Society Award.

The awards were set up by David Cameron in 2010, to recognise people and groups that help improve lives and strengthen communities.

In a statement, the Prime Minister said: “It’s inspirational to see Heledd do so much to help thousands of military spouses start or maintain fulfilling careers.

“This work shines a light on the huge range of talent and skills that can sometimes be overlooked amongst military spouses. I’m delighted to recognise their achievements with this award.”

Jo Kitching, Recruit for Spouses director, said: “It has been absolutely amazing to get that recognition, as it has been really hard work, and we are a very young organisation.

“So far we have placed 50-odd spouses into work, helped about 300 of them with CVs, and got a following of about 5,000 on email and social media, so we are making quite a difference to people’s lives.

“However, many employers still can’t see that there could be an issue around it until we speak to them. Lots of spouses, myself included, have had experiences in interviews where they say they can see you’re in the forces by looking at your address, and ask if you are going to go away, or have childcare issues. That’s not fair; we need to be given equal opportunities in the job market.

“We spend a lot of time speaking to businesses to try to change their minds; most companies understand it, but there are some who still say they will not employ spouses.

“To be recognised in this way is such a boost; it shows there is hope for us in the workplace and it shows we are doing the right thing in the right way. This will give us confidence to go out and widen our network, and get more employers on board.”