News

SSP, a leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, is now well underway with their new programme to help educate young people in the UK about the benefits of good nutrition. The company has joined forces with the Children’s Food Trust, a national charity that has the aim of encouraging children to eat well, and is supporting the extension of its successful Let’s Get Cooking programme to reach students in further education colleges for the first time.

SSP’s funding is enabling the charity to establish Let’s Get Cooking clubs in 10 further education colleges in the Greater London area. 16-18 year olds in each college attend four sessions, learning how to cook simple and healthy meals, how to budget for food, and how to use leftovers and avoid waste. During the first year of the project, around 1,000 students are expected to benefit from this training in the essentials of cookery and healthy eating. As well as helping the young people develop these new skills, the programme gives students the opportunity to meet people from SSP and learn more about the food service industry.

Maggie Sims, the Children’s Food Trust’s Head of Cookery, says: “We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to take healthy cooking skills to young people just as they fly the nest. College is such an exciting and busy time and looking after yourself can sometimes be pushed to the back of the queue – so this is a really important time for knowing how to cook and eat well on a tight budget.”

SSP UK CEO Simon Smith added: “At SSP we recognise the importance of a balanced diet and how important it is for young people to build an understanding of this at an early age. As part of our commitment to support the local communities in which we operate, we are delighted to be working with the Children’s Food Trust on this inspiring new programme.”