THE Millennium jobs Challenge aims to find 365 jobs before the year 2000.

The BEN, the employment Service, Bolton and Bury Chamber, Lifetime Careers and Bolton Metro have joined forces to reach this JOB-A-DAY target.

It's a crusade to get Bolton people working - and beat the dole.

Two dedicated phone lines are open to take your call.

If you are unemployed, have been made redundant or work less than 16 hours a week, and you are looking for a job, simply phone 0845 6060234.

If you are an employer who can offer a job, pleasure ring 01204 516301.

We offer a free, tailor-made recruitment package for your company - ensuring your vacancy will be seen throughout the Bolton area.

Plus, there could be free press coverage in this newspaper to help you find the perfect person for your position. We need your vacancy! Caring works for Mark IT was purely by chance that 27-year-old Mark Crooke ended up in a caring profession five years ago.

When he left school he opted for work in the clerical and administrative field.

But when unemployment hit and the first job that came along was as a care assistant, he took it, grudgingly.

"It's better than nothing," he thought at the time.

To his surprise, though, he liked it so much he now wouldn't swap his profession for anything.

So when he found himself out of work again last year, Mark kept searching for a vacancy in his chosen field.

Helping

Twelve months to the day later, he found the perfect job at Lyngate Residential Home at Wigan Road in Deane, where he looks after the elderly women residents.

"By accident I found my station in life," he said.

"It's all about helping people, you can get a lot out of it. It's very rewarding.

"It can be hard work but I enjoy it."

The owner of Lyngate, Helen Webb, was able to enrol Mark on an NVQ Level 2 in Care of the Elderly with the help of Bolton Bury Chamber's Work-Based Training grant and in partnership with Bolton Metro Gold Focus Wage Subsidy Scheme.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.