Cooking Project with Action Enterprise

 

Barbara Rainford and Jacqui Cooper who run North Shropshire Action Enterprise approached the school to ask us to pilot a project to encourage students to learn and develop new skills. The scheme has only just finished and involved seven year 10 students who had to write a letter to apply for a place on the course.

 

Entrepreneur and London chef, Matt Rolinson of TO Williams, has conducted four workshops at school making bread with the students. 

 

Matt making light work of kneading!

                    

 

Helen Fisher, Head of House and Karen Jones, Work Related Learning Coordinator at school helped set up the project and a video of the first workshop was shown at the recent Arts Festival at school.

Wayne Massey and Matt Rolinson also brought along a selection of different breads for parents, students and teachers to sample. For the final workshop in this pilot project young people will be making tortillas with their own chosen filings.

 

From these sessions the students gained new experience: they worked with other students who they do not normally work with; they learnt how to work as a team, and how to adapt to changes in plans.

 

They were able to work together more efficiently as their skills improved and you could see their self confidence grow as the project progressed.

Frank Lauriello, Senior Promotions Officer at North Shropshire District Council is really pleased with the results. “The work between Action Enterprise and the Grove School has been a very good example of how employers can make a difference to the lives of young people. The help from T O Williams has contributed enormously to the delivery of School Development, helping raise the level on inclusion, student aspirations and achievements. The whole programme set up by Action Enterprise has been professional, well organised and one I believe could be rolled out throughout Shropshire. It’s a great initiative with tremendous benefits for all concerned!”

At the end of the course students attended a presentation in the library and were shown a video of their achievements in class. Each student received a certificates for completing the project.

Students with their certificates pictured with Jacki Cooper       (left centre) and Karen Jones (right centre).