JOURNAL

They say charity begins at home. For us, you might say it also begins in the home – or at least at the table. We’re proud to be at the heart of the community here in Chipping Campden, in the 18th century Silk Mill we’ve occupied since the ‘50s.

As well as supplying customers here and all over the world, hospitality is a huge part of our business, from fine dining restaurants to top hotels and the world’s biggest airlines. It’s a sector we’re passionate about, and inspiring young people to forge a career in hospitality, to shore up its future as a dynamic, vibrant industry, is very close to our hearts.

So, when we were approached by the Cornwall Hospitality Collective CIC, a not-for-profit organisation inspiring young people to choose hospitality as a career, we were delighted to help.

What it was missing was a high-quality set of stainless steel cutlery, to teach students how to lay up a fine dining table. And so, just a few days after the Collective’s request came into our offices, 30 sets of our seven-piece Warwick Bright cutlery range, plus coffee and espresso spoons, were heading down the M5 to Cornwall.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be supporting the Collective with our Warwick cutlery. Hospitality is a significant part of the Robert Welch business, and we’re fortunate to work with some of the best hotels, restaurants and airlines in the world. Attracting young people into the industry equipped with real skills they can use in the workplace is incredibly important and we wish the Collective every success.”

Alice Welch, joint Managing Director

HOW THE COLLECTIVE HELPS STUDENTS

The Collective works with students in mainstream, alternative and SEND education, encouraging youngsters to study hospitality at GCSE and teaching chef and front-of-house skills to help school-leavers find work. Backed by five-star hotels and endorsed by celebrity chef Paul Ainsworth, it delivers training to pupils from primary schools upwards.

Collective director Mark Lewin, Truro & Penwith College’s Hospitality Business Partnership Consultant, helped launch it. One of its latest projects is The Collective Café which pops up at venues around Cornwall, hot-housing students in everything from salad preparation to fine-dining lay-up.
And it’s here our Warwick Bright cutlery has made the difference.

In six sessions, delivered in partnership with top hospitality professionals, young people have been learning tools to open the café to the public. “It’s all about transferable skills that’ll help young people progress in hospitality as well as in school, college and beyond,” says Mark. “Ultimately making them employable.”

Lessons include making salads and dressings, allergen and H&S training, barista skills, baking and social media before they open their café to the public at venues including Old Bakery Studios in Truro.

“We have various venues open to us and portable equipment but what we needed was a really high quality set of cutlery for front-of-house sessions,” Mark added. “These involve full lay-up, from tablecloths to glassware and cutlery, and service skills."

HOW THE COLLECTIVE HELPS STUDENTS

With everything from induction units to stand mixers and napkins secured, Mark knew there was one piece of the culinary jigsaw missing.

“I’ve been trying to get a set of Robert Welch cutlery for years through various projects as it’s the best of the best, but we have to be mindful of budget when it comes to public funds,” adds Mark.

“Then we were asked by a school in St Austell to deliver a high-level front-of-house class. A lot of our students have never seen inside a fine dining restaurant and teaching them to lay up a table in this setting wouldn’t have been the same with regular cutlery.

“So, I asked Robert Welch and incredibly they said yes. Now these students can lay up a fine dining table and understand what it looks and feels like. That’s huge.”

As well as us, businesses backing the venture include St Michael’s Resort & Spa in Falmouth, Headland Hotel in Newquay and neighbour Watergate Bay, and the college.

The project is supported by industry big-hitters including St Austell Brewery and Cornish Tea & Coffee and part-funded by the National Lottery and Savoy Educational Trust.

Mark hopes the sessions will empower school-leavers to make catering their first-choice career.

“Raising standards is key,” he said. “We want hospitality to be a vibrant industry people want to come into, rather than something they fall into. We’ve got to entice young people. And the work the Collective does – with the help of Robert Welch – delivering the right training and development opportunities, we really believe we can.”