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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has praised the work of a housing charity that seeks to boost the creativity of people with learning difficulties, recovering drug addicts and ex-offenders.

The Islington North MP launched Peter Bedford housing association’s new Enterprising People project at its Holloway Road shop and gallery, Outpost, on Friday.

The charity has just secured a £410,825 grant from the Big Lottery Fund for the project for three years. With the funds, it aims to help 900 people in Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets with mental health problems, learning difficulties and disa­bilities, people with a history of drug and alcohol misuse and ex-offen­ders, to develop job skills and build peer support networks.

“This project is fantastic,” Mr Corbyn told a crowd of around 30 people gathered at the shop.

“Creativity gives people a sense of confidence in their abilities. It will help 900 people, and I hope it will be used as a model that can work across the country.”

Enterprising People will involve activities such as joinery, textiles, art, printmaking, product design and creative writing. Some of the products and art will be sold at Outpost, which was recommended by Mr Corbyn as the place to go Christmas shopping.

The politician was welcomed by Andy Love, former MP and the housing association’s chairman, who revealed Mr Corbyn introduced him to his wife Ruth Rosenthal in 1970, when both men served as Labour councillors in Haringey.

Mr Love, who retired as MP for Edmonton last year, said it was Mr Corbyn who had sent him to pick up some campaign flyers from Ms Rosenthal. “The rest is history – she still blames Jeremy,” he quipped.

Asked whether he misses Parliament, he replied: “I do miss the job. I didn’t think I would, but with all the interesting developments, which like Brexit are mainly negative, I have. We have to make sure we get the best possible outcome. But also what’s happening in our party is unprece­dented. There are great dangers for all of us.”

Mr Love added: “I have been mightily impressed by Jeremy’s resilience in the circumstances that he faces. People have always talked about how active he has been in his constituency. Others who have become party leaders have taken a step back in this, but he has continued to deliver.

“[In Haringey] he was our election agent. He’s always had a multitude of roles and he’s always coped very well with the pressure of those roles. He’s always been known for that.”