Gordon Brown visits Bermondsey Street

Bermondsey Street-based Hardy Group employs six people and manages the production of a wide range of company magazines on behalf of large businesses. The company says the free training and advice offered by Train to Gain's skills broker is vital in helping them to compete in a highly competitive market.

The government says that more than 22,000 individuals and 6,000 employers have already been helped by the £1 billion national training programme in the build up to full national roll out of the scheme across England this month.

"Education does not and should not stop when people leave school or college – people must be able to tap into education throughout life, whether it is academic, trade, basic or vocational," says Alan Johnson. "That is why we have made record investments in education and are putting millions into Train to Gain over the next few years."

This year Hardy Group – which has been based in Bermondsey Street for 20 years – celebrates its sixtieth anniversary.