New van is cool move for Peebles catering company

Monday, July 24 2006

Job prospects for people with disabilities received a significant boost on Friday when Kingsmeadows Catering (KMC) celebrated the acquisition of its first refrigerated van.

Scottish Borders Council’s Director of Social Work, Andrew Lowe, marked the event by presenting the keys of the new van to KMC Manager Matthew Egginton

The Peebles-based catering company provides supported work placements for people with disabilities, including learning disabilities. The company prides itself on encouraging its 14 placement workers to train for nationally recognised certificates and better job prospects.

KMC, which is sponsored by SBC as well as David Harrison, HGDesign and 10 9 8 Taxis, runs a daily sandwich lunch service at Cavalry Park, Peebles, and a buffet service for special occasions. Its growing customer base includes SBC, The Eastgate Theatre and Buccleuch Estates, local businesses, charity organisations, community groups and members of the public.

Andrew Lowe said, “Kingsmeadows Catering is a social enterprise with a difference. It offers people with disabilities the chance of a secure, paid job in a properly managed working environment which is also sociable and fun. Our job is to make sure that people with disabilities have more opportunities of this kind.”

Cliff Carrie, Manager at the Victoria Park Centre, Peebles, added, “KMC is making a real difference to the people who work in it and to the people it supplies a service to. Having a van enables us to develop our business. We can now expand our sandwich run and deliver buffets further afield. As our customer base expands, so will our capacity to provide work opportunities.”

“The fact that KMC is such a success is down to the commitment of all those involved, but especially the workers who have stayed with the project through all its difficulties and never lost sight of their dream of doing a job of work like everyone else.”

The company operates a ‘Pathways to Payment’ training scheme, in which placement workers train on the job for catering qualifications such as Food Hygiene and Handling, and First Aid.

Anne Peacock has worked at KMC for three years. She said, “When I started I was baking cakes and traybakes. Now I still bake cakes, but we also make sandwiches, scones, wraps, salads and soup, which I help deliver to local businesses. I have passed my Elementary Food Hygiene course, and I will be taking a First Aid course, Moving and Handling Course and a Fire Safety Course. I like learning and getting better at things. I like working at KMC and look forward to the future.”

KMC worker Anne Turner also enjoys the job: “I now have a purpose to get up in the morning. I love this. I feel happy. Before I had my job, I felt depressed, but I am feeling better. I have asked if I can work more hours,” she said.

Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre, SBC Executive Spokesperson for Social Work, summed up: “Kingsmeadows Catering provides disabled people with supervised, on-the-job training in one of the Scottish Borders’ most important industries – food and hospitality. It opens up a world of opportunities for qualifications and paid work which would have been impossible not long ago. KMC deserves to be warmly congratulated for all that it has achieved so far, and we wish it the very best for a bright future.”

The enterprise began in June 2000 when a baking group at Victoria Park Centre had the idea of selling the products they made. SBC agreed that the kitchen at the Centre could be used, and the business, which started with four members and a Council cook, has gone from strength to strength.

KMC now employs a Catering Manager and has 14 members working as Catering Assistants, several of whom have obtained catering qualifications. One has a paid position. KMC has also forged strong links with the local High School and Borders College.

KMC’s aims are:

To be self sustaining

Have a work force where 50% of the employees are people with disabilities
Pay all employees the going rate for the job they do.
Invested profits back into the company to support its development
Provide certificated training
Provide supported work placements.

Reference: News-16532, Contact the Author