ERIC Pickles has backed behind our Getting Essex Back to Work campaign.

The Tory Communities Secretary said newspapers were at the heart of their communities and should play a vital role in the battle against unemployment.

Our campaign aims to highlight local vacancies and encourage jobseekers to find new roles through apprenticeships and other training schemes.

Mr Pickles said: “This is absolutely the right way to go.

“We need to be doing all we can to create new jobs and fill existing ones to get the country moving.

“I am very happy to back this campaign.”

As part of our campaign, we have launched a new Thursday Jobs section, with profiles of employers, news of employment trends and tips for jobseekers.

Our campaign has already been backed by entrepreneurs across Essex and Denise Rossiter, chief executive of the Essex Chambers of Commerce.

We also have support from MPs, councillors and teachers across the county.

Mr Pickles said seaside communities needed to work together to overcome the threat of unemployment.

He said: “Seaside towns and coastal communities have huge potential for economic growth that we simply can’t afford to waste – this coastal communities fund can make all the difference to these places we all know and love.

“This is a great opportunity for long overlooked seaside towns, large and small, to grab a chance to grow through imaginative and innovative projects that create skilled workers, and provide year-round jobs that build stronger local economies.”