Cafe and coach firm take to social media to offer sacked ferry workers jobs
WATCH: Sarah Saunders reports on how a community has rallied behind ferry staff
A chef who worked for P&O Ferries for 20 years has told of his relief after a cafe owner reached out to give him a job.
Ian Burford has a new job at Goose on the Green cafe in Deal after going for a trial shift on Friday.
Ian said: "I thought I was going to be looking around for months for another job. I'm very happy he has taken me on.
"I looked at social media straight away, and the help from the community all around Kent was unbelievable. So many companies and businesses are looking out for ex-employees. It's very nice."
WATCH: Ferry worker Ian Burford
Cafe owner Alistair Bassett said: "We saw there was this disaster for our local workers so we immediately posted on social media that we were looking for people and to get in touch with us as soon as they could. We have been delighted with the response."
Goose on the Green is not the only business reaching out to P&O staff.
Bayliss Executive Travel in Dover have offered to train ex-ferry staff as drivers.
In a social media post the company wrote: "We at Bayliss Executive Travel are so sorry to hear about our friends and colleagues at P&O ferries and are saddened to hear how things have transpired this morning.
WATCH: Cafe owner Alistair Bassett
"We'd like to offer something back so will be prepared to offer putting you through your PCV licence free of charge and employment for any P&O worker who would be interested in a career as a coach driver."
Owner Alistair Bayliss said he had been inundated with messages and CVs.
He said: "I wanted to see if we can offer some of these guys a lifeline.
"I'll train them, put them through their licence, because it's quite a long process, I'll pay for that and hopefully we can give some crew that have lost their jobs a lifeline.
"We've had an extraordinary reaction. If we can get four or five, brilliant. We need them, and if they fancy it, there are opportunities here."