On Monday, Mark visited the Kidderminster branch of Remploy, one of over 30 branches around the UK, and met with local staff and managers Richard Spalding and Peter Eden.
Remploy has been in existence since 1945 and its mission statement declares its vision is: "To transform the lives of disabled people and those experiencing complex barriers to work by providing sustainable employment opportunities."
With unemployment in and around Kidderminster higher than for the rest of Worcestershire, the work of agencies like Remploy is more important than ever - especially when looking at the very specialist area Remploy occupies. Yet despite the tricky economic conditions, Remploy is on target to find 75 sustainable jobs for people in the first quarter of 2010.
Mark Garnier said: "I am vey grateful to Richard and Peter for their time this afternoon. Local economic conditions are the biggest issue facing our district and the part played by Remploy in this area is very important. Remploy works with various partners - including retail chains in and around Kidderminster - to find new staff and also train existing staff. They help people who are trying to get back into work by training and coaching - an incredibly important function for those finding themselves in the daunting area of job searching.
"Remploy is the type of organisation that I am keen to help. As we try to move Wyre Forest's local economy forward, there are a whole host of organisations that play a vital role and Remploy is one such organisation."