Prept. Foundation brings hands-on food education to Lancashire schools: how your school can get involved
Find out how you can get your school signed up for food education programme new to the county.
A nation wide food education programme is expanding its work in Lancashire with the appointment of a dedicated local specialist.
Registered charity, the Prept. Foundation, provides fully funded food education in schools, giving young people the chance to build practical skills for life - from cooking and understanding ingredients and nutrition, to trying new foods and developing a healthier relationship with food.
The Foundation has now appointed a dedicated full-time chef educator to Lancashire, as it aims to inspire children to discover their love of food through hands-on interactive classes.
Jade Moncur will work with schools and youth projects within the county to bring fun and engaging in-person sessions to primary and secondary age pupils across the region.
The Prept. Foundation has secured three years of funding to deliver immersive education and cooking experiences to young people in the area, with ten schools already signed up to be part of the exciting programme.
Each year, Jade’s sessions are expected to reach over 1,000 young people, teaching them invaluable life skills whilst opening their eyes to a career in the hospitality profession.
Jessica Aggarwal, Co-Founder of the Prept. Foundation said: “Recent figures from Lancashire County Council show the average rate of 16- 17 year olds not in education, employment or training schemes (NEETS) is twice as high in Lancashire compared to the national average. A few weeks ago, the government responded to this high rate of unemployment amongst young people by creating 100,000 jobs in hospitality and food related careers, however without the knowledge and skills associated with food, such opportunities may unfortunately go unnoticed. This is why Jade’s work in Lancashire will be invaluable, and we are thrilled to have her on team Prept!”
The new Lancashire programme represents the third prong of Prept’s mission, which began in Sussex in 2020, before expanding into London.
The multi focused sessions teach children about where food comes from with classroom learning and offsite visits, whilst also allowing them to get hands on to develop their kitchen skills.
How can I get the Prept. Foundation to come to my Lancashire school?
If you would like to get your school or youth programme involved. the foundation says it couldn’t be simpler: all the charity needs is a time, a room and a member of staff to oversee the session.
All ingredients are delivered to the school or location ready for when Jade arrives to run the session.
After one or two hours (depending on the child’s age), students will have a delicious dish that they can either enjoy for lunch or share at home with family.
By doing so they will have unlocked new culinary skills and a better understanding of food and the career opportunities it can bring, says the charity.
For further information please visit https://prept.foundation/.