A catering team based at HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset has been shortlisted for the final of this year’s BBC Points West 'Cookery Team of the Year'. 

Nominated for their fantastic daily contributions as well as the variety of projects they are involved in, the team was visited by the BBC cameras last week to film a slot for Tuesday 12th June’s BBC Points West news, and tutors from the prison will attend the finals the following evening.

The annual awards are for catering teams who have gone above and beyond in providing a particularly great service to their community. The HMP Guys Marsh team was nominated for working within a particularly challenging prison community, providing a great daily service, and for their innovative engagement in wider prison community projects.

The team is made up of Weston College catering tutor Luke Trott and a group of prison learners who are working towards their NVQ L2 Diploma in Catering and Hospitality. The offenders achieve this nationally recognised qualification while working in the prison kitchen, where they often cook bespoke lunches for prison-wide events. 

Throughout 2017 and 2018, the team cooked a range of meals celebrating different faiths, catered for regular family days for visiting relatives, and held a weekly Ready, Steady Cook challenge. Local restaurants visited the prison to meet with learners and sample the food from the challenge events, leading to at least one of the learners being offered a job placement upon release.

The team uses fresh produce grown on site by their peers on horticulture courses, learning about the benefits of using locally sourced goods. They also have to budget many of the dishes and ensure that the daily food served is nutritious, healthy and inclusive of all faiths and beliefs.

We wish them luck at Wednesday’s ceremony where they are up against two other worthy contenders, and look forward to continuing to sample their fantastic work over the coming months and years.
 

The innovative training course launched last year but already boasts numerous success stories. Students have completed apprenticeships at high profile restaurants across Bristol and the South West, as well as being nominated for prestigious awards.

One of those success stories is Elliott, who aims to become a Michelin-starred chef and believes the apprenticeship has set him on the path to achieving it.

He said: “I decided to join Weston College as food and cooking has always been my passion.

“My godmother is a really good cook and she has been an inspiration to me. When I was younger we used to cook together, so I knew I wanted to be a chef from a very young age.”

“When I saw the apprenticeship advertised with weekly masterclasses taught by local Michelin-starred chefs, it really grabbed my attention,” Elliott said.

“The masterclasses, which teach a diverse range of techniques, have exceeded my expectations. A great example is one we had from a local fishmonger - an area I lacked experience in.

“We were shown how to gut and fillet a salmon and several mackerel. It didn’t stop there as the masterclasses go into real depth. We were also shown how to trim and pin bone, as well being taught about different types of cuts and cooking techniques.”

Thanks to Weston College, Elliott has gained an apprenticeship at Puro restaurant in Clevedon.

“The whole process of getting an apprenticeship was very easy,” he said. “I have received great support from Weston College. My college assessors actually come to me as well which saves me travelling to Weston. I really enjoy my apprenticeship and the team give me expert training.

“My long-term ambition is to gain Rosettes (a cooking accreditation award) and also to become a Michelin starred chef in the future. College has also helped me to get the ball rolling on this. Through the programme I have been taught key skills in a range of areas which include butchery, fish mongering and desserts which I have been able to perfect during my apprenticeship.”

Elliott points out that the apprenticeship doesn’t only teach students to cook – it also helps them in many other aspects of their career.

He said: “I have received a large amount of support from the College. Not only are my college tutors at every practical session, but they offer great support on the theory too which has really developed my knowledge, they have also supported me with my functional skills (English, maths and ICT). This would have been a real struggle for me without their help.”

You can see our current vacancies, by clicking here. 

Digital technology is advancing rapidly – at a rate that threatens to leave behind millions of people in the UK.

According to a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, around 12% of the population will lack basic digital literacy within a decade.

And this doesn’t only apply to the ‘older’ generation. Research also suggests that even the most digitally confident young people are being taken by surprise at the evolving skill-set required in an increasingly digital world.

In short, more needs to be done to equip the next generation with the digital knowledge and know-how they need to succeed.

At Weston College, providing learners with the most up-to-date digital skills and resources is among our highest priorities.

That’s why it was such a huge achievement and honour that we recently became one of 14 providers in the UK to be awarded ‘Microsoft Showcase College’ status.

As a Showcase College, we’ll benefit from billions of pounds of research and knowledge, as well as Microsoft’s support in the personalising student education. This includes the use of one-to-one devices, Office 365 Education, Office Mix, OneNote, Skype, Minecraft and more.

Microsoft will share ideas to enhance staff development, student employability and innovation, and provide the College with opportunities to host Microsoft-branded educational events.

Every PC user in the world has Microsoft tools, and every job that young people apply for will require them to use Word, PowerPoint and Excel. That’s why embedding these systems – as well as digital skills and capabilities – into our teaching is so vital.

We also get the opportunity to share ideas with other Showcase Colleges around the world – all striving to improve teaching and learning, raise the engagement and attainment of students, and to boost regional economies.

This places us within an exclusive global community, recognised for educational transformation, creativity and collaboration, and a willingness to promote a growth mind-set among staff and students.

It’s a deeply held belief of mine that everyone should have an equal opportunity to learn, regardless of background or ability. And, by providing students with the latest technology, we’re able to reduce barriers to learning – for example, dyslexia, hearing and impairments, physical disabilities, and financial and geographical barriers.

The accreditation also enables the College to run a range of courses to equip students and staff with the latest Microsoft certification and provide access to online resources that target skill and knowledge gaps. These courses are:

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification
• Microsoft Office Specialist Expert Certification
• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Certification
• Microsoft Certified Educator – specifically for teachers.

As a College, we’re constantly striving to push the boundaries in terms of what our students can achieve. This puts the onus on us to provide the very best resources and technology, and gaining Microsoft accreditation is another example of how we’re achieving this.

As Anthony Salcito, Vice-President of Worldwide Education at Microsoft, said: “Microsoft Showcase Schools and Colleges are shining examples of those applying purpose-driven innovation in a variety of ways to build connection, motivate students and to create community in and out of college.

“They are truly transforming learning and providing more personalised education to students, empowering them to achieve more.”

Dr Paul Phillips CBE