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Reopened support service is 'rising from the ashes'

Kate Bradbrookin Northampton, Northampton
Kate Bradbrook/BBC Five people stand in front of a blackboard. Jenny Lane who has re-started Workbridge wears a green and white patterned dress. A young man next to her holds a saucepan containing spagetti bolognaise.Kate Bradbrook/BBC
Workbridge has been re-started by former employee Jenny Lane (in green) with the help of a crowd funder and volunteers including Mary Landy (far right)

A support service which closed after 45 years has reopened six months later - thanks to community crowdfunding.

Workbridge, in Northampton, offered training and work experience to people with mental health issues, learning disabilities, autism and brain injuries.

The service, which was previously run by the charity St Andrews Healthcare, closed in December 2025.

Volunteer Mary Landy said: "It's starting to rise from the ashes, there are so few places like Workbridge... [which is] able to deal with so many complex issues."

Kate Bradbrook/BBC Lady with dark hair tied back, wearing a black t-shirt and apron smiles at the camera. Behind her a ladt with brown hair and a black and white patterned top stands at the stove cookingKate Bradbrook/BBC
Emma, a service user who had been at Workbridge for a year before it closed, said she was excited to see it reopen

Workbridge recently started sessions at the Duston Village Bakery, focussing on budgeting, meal planning and cooking.

Emma, 40, who had been using the service for a year, said she was "devastated" when it closed but was now "so excited" to be back.

"It's hard work but I'm enjoying it, I am keen to learn," he said.

"I want to be able to be independent...get my own place and cook dinner for mum and dad."

Kate Bradbrook/BBC Woman in a green and white patterned dress with short light brown hair and glasses stands in front of a pink sign which reads "Sugar and spice and all things nice"Kate Bradbrook/BBC
Jenny Lane reopened Workbridge in June this year and has more than a dozen service users on the books

Jenny Lane, director of Workbridge, said it had been "so lovely" to work with service users again and "very rewarding".

Sessions are being run across Northamptonshire, including sports activities at Fernie Fields in Moulton and executive functioning skills at the Bellinge Community House.

"It's still about empowering people to live independently or working towards employment," she said.

"Because we are in the community we can't offer carpentry and things like that... but once we have a permanent home we will be looking at widening our offer."

Kate Bradbrook/BBC Man with a flatcap and glasses wearing a grey t-shirt and black apron smiles at the camera. On the table next to him are cooking ingredients including grated cheese and tomato passataKate Bradbrook/BBC
Kieran, 29, says being back at Workbridge is cathartic

Kieran, 29, a service user for more than six years, said returning to Workbridge had boosted his confidence.

"It's something I really enjoy, now I need to trust my own instincts a bit more," he said.

"Cooking is my biggest weakness right now and something that I want to work on.

"It's great to be back."

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