New head of SA

Helen Browning has been appointed director of The Soil Association, and will take up her post in early spring. Patrick Holden stepped down in September following 15 years in the role.

Maple Leaf results

Third-quarter sales in Maple Leaf’s Bakery Products Group declined 3% to $411.1m (£257m), compared to last year, primarily due to currency translation impacts and lower volumes. The Toronto-based company said it plans to increase volumes in the North American frozen bakery products business, while driving cost improvements in the UK. The company is currently transferring a croissant production line to an existing facility in Maidstone.

Homeless job scheme

Morrisons plans to train around 1,000 homeless people to become bakers, butchers and fishmongers as it rolls out new stores, creating a total of 10,000 jobs in the process. The new initiative is in partnership with Create, a not-for-profit company, and the Salvation Army. Norman Pickavance, Morrisons’ HR director, said: "This initiative will help disadvantaged people get their lives back on track."

Puds for charity

Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson has developed a muffin recipe called the Pudsey Pud, which children can make at home and then sell at school to raise money for BBC Children in Need on 19 November. Worrall Thompson has also asked his head chefs at Kew Grill, Windsor Grill and Windsor Larder to make Pudsey Puds for their customers with 25% of the proceeds going to the charity.

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