Leading food manufacturer Bakkavor is to provide children with a glimpse of working in the food industry following a deal with The Prince’s Trust.

The conglomerate, which operates New Primebake in Crewe and Barton-on-Humber, will host a series of ‘world of work’ tours across its sites for young people who are struggling at school.

Volunteers from Bakkavor will also give their time as part of a mentoring scheme, which aims to inspire and educate young people about the sector.

The Prince’s Trust works in partnership with hundreds of schools across the UK as part of the charity’s ‘xl programme’, an alternative education programme helping children struggling at school by helping them build life skills and prepare for the world of work.

Supporting young people

Agust Gudmundsson, chief executive of Bakkavor Group, said: “As a leading provider of fresh prepared foods, we believe we should play a role in supporting young people with their futures and our participation will give young people a flavour of life at Bakkavor and what it is like to work in the food industry. Initiatives such as these help inspire today’s youth to become tomorrow’s industry leaders.”

Will Bywater at The Prince’s Trust added:  “We have helped over 11,000 young people through our xl programme, which is run in schools across the UK. It’s with thanks to companies like Bakkavor, that we are able to continue our work and go on to help thousands more develop self-esteem and the skills needed for the future.”

Bakkavor operates from 32 sites in the UK and employs more than 18,000 people worldwide.