A LINGERIE business which provides vital training to help marginalised women and refugees learn workplace skills has benefitted from a £2,000 grant from the BAA Communities Trust, on behalf of Southampton Airport .

Northam -based whomadeyourpants? provides employment for refugee women from countries such as Afghani-stan, Somalia and The Sudan, training them in how to sew pants from end-of-line lace and essential office etiquette.

Managing director Becky John said that although the business hopes one day to be self-sustaining through sales it is currently dependent on grants.

“This sort of grant is absolutely critical for us to run, but we hope to be sustainable through our sales revenue. As we only got started three years ago we have had to invest a lot in training.”