An East Midlands council is holding knitting classes for its employees to help combat stress and absenteeism.

North East Derbyshire Council has decided to offer the courses after it emerged that an average of 9.75 sick days per employee were lost during 2007/08 – costing the authority £292,000.

Speak to your local NHS Trust, council and police to see what measures they are introducing to beat the plague of stress and absenteeism.