A council is helping Wilko employees find new opportunities with free CV workshops and interview preparation.

Three out of four branches in Medway have shut this week, with the remainder to cease trading next Tuesday.

The national chain entered administration last month after it came under pressure from weak consumer spending and debts to suppliers.

Strood’s branch closed on Monday (September 25), with the Rainham store closing the following day.

Yesterday was the last day of trading for Gillingham.

Next Tuesday (October 3) the Chatham store is set to close, along with Canterbury and Maidstone.

Medway Council’s Skills, Employment and Adult Education team joined with the benefits team, local job centre, Citizens Advice Medway and the National Careers Service to help ex-employees.

They held jobs and skills marketplaces at the stores to give advice and offer a range of support.

This included CV workshops, interview preparation, free maths and English courses as well as other employability courses, like digital skills at Medway Adult Education (MAE).

Cllr Lauren Edwards, portfolio holder for economic and social regeneration and inward investment, said: “It’s upsetting that we are losing our Wilko stores across the Medway towns.

“Our priority has been to support the employees through a difficult time in their working lives.

“Many of the employees I spoke to at the marketplaces had worked at Wilko for decades and appreciated our support to help them retrain and find new jobs in a very different labour market.

“I’d like to thank the other organisations who partnered with us.

“I’m pleased that by working together we were able to mobilise quickly to support Medway residents and help them find new opportunities.”

Wilko was originally founded by James Kemsey Wilkinson in Leicester in 1930 and employed 12,500 workers before its collapse.

Bosses confirmed all 400 shops will close by early October.