A ROOFING firm has found the right tonic for growth after securing £1.7m hospital contracts to create new jobs.

Barclay Roofing, based in Stockton, has taken on 15 workers and secured 11 existing posts after winning deals to work on North-East hospitals.

The work for construction company Laing O'Rourke will be carried out at Monkwearmouth and Ryhope hospitals, both in Wearside.

Barclay bosses say the deals mean it can retain staff at a time of year when falls in contracts can lead to a reduction in workers.

Paul Trelease, Barclay's managing director, said he was delighted he could deliver workers a seasonal boost.

He said: “In December, the construction industry typically slows down and in the past few years we have had to lay lads off until February or March when things pick up again.

“However, this year it’s been great to be able to keep them on, especially in the run up to Christmas.”

The company was also supported with funding from Investment for Growth, which helped it gain a vital environmental accreditation.

The firm needed the ISO 14001 title to be eligible for more contracts, after Government demands for a greener UK led to the accreditation being stipulated in tenders and a requirement in some supply chains.

Ken Barclay, the company's health and safety adviser, said it turned to Investment for Growth, run by the BE Group, for help, and secured 40 per cent of the funding needed for the consultancy work.

He said: “We have never had to apply for funding before, so it was a whole new route for us.

“Lots of businesses are being asked to have this ISO accreditation now and it’s been really good for us because it’s really focused us on the environmental issues.

“It actually made us realise that we were already doing a lot of the things required for the accreditation.”

The support included creating an environmental policy and setting waste management and energy efficiency targets.

Kate Ward, Investment for Growth adviser, said: “It’s fantastic when Investment for Growth can have such an impact on a business.

“The funding has helped to create new jobs and support others while, helping the business become greener and more efficient in the long-term.”