16 June 2012 Last updated at 08:52 ET

Sunderland's Eagle Building becomes workshop

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader and Councillor Henry Trueman, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council with Catherine Trillo, chief executive of Lydia's House. The move will allow more training to be provided

A Sunderland quayside building has been given a £2m facelift to turn it into a workshop to train vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

Social enterprise Lydia's House has opened the Eagle Building on the city's quayside.

It will hold interior design courses with the aim of boosting people's job prospects and creating new businesses.

Among the workshops being run will be furniture restoration, picture framing and upholstery.

Lydia's House founder Catherine Trillo said the move into the building would allow it to expand its training programme.

Sunderland City Council leader Councillor Paul Watson said: "This is an inspirational business and an excellent use of a historic city centre building."

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