Employees made redundant during the coronavirus crisis are being asked to apply for jobs in care homes.
Wellburn Care Homes, which runs homes across the North East, is facing a staffing challenge as some workers have been forced to self-isolate.
At the same time, many employees or self-employed workers have lost work as non-essential businesses are forced to closed.
A spokesperson for Wellburn Care Homes, which recently closed its doors to visitors, said: "We’re staying positive and working around the clock to keep our residents and staff safe. From a staffing point of view, our biggest challenge we’re facing is maintaining numbers of essential key workers.
"This is why over the last few days, we’ve embarked on our biggest and most ambitious recruitment drive to date.
"We’re reaching out to people at risk of being made redundant or those who have been asked to take extended unpaid leave, for help.
“We have lots of roles, across multiple departments on offer, than urgently need filling”.
Wellburn Care Homes chairman Rachel Beckett added: “We understand that this is an extremely difficult time for many people in our local community, who are at risk of losing their jobs or being made to take periods of unpaid holiday.
"We have a unique opportunity to help those people, by inviting them to join our amazing and dedicated staff.
"To help us continue to deliver consistent, high quality care our residents deserve, in this hugely uncertain period.
"So we’re reaching out to all those people in our communities, who through no fault of their own find that they have time on their hands and want to help.”
The group has said it isn't targeting the recruitment drive at any particular industry, as many people will have 'transferable skills' which can be used in the care sector.
There are 14 Wellburn Care homes across the North East and Yorkshire, including three in Northumberland, two in Wearside and four in Tyneside.
Bosses are aking for all those who are interested in permanent, part-time, flexible hours or even temporary short term work, across a number of different roles, to send their details to: careers@wellburncare.co.uk
