Throughout 2022 we've seen up close the incredible work our charity partner The Larder does to change the lives of disadvantaged young people in West Lothian.
This week we announced that we're renewing our partnership with the social enterprise for 2023 and we're looking forward to continuing our collaboration, with a feast of opportunities in the year ahead.
Already The Larder has been a fantastic partner, and we've enjoyed collaborating on a variety of different things - from the delivery of employability sessions to fundraising through the Kiltwalk.
The Larder is a social enterprise which aims to empower and improve the lives of disadvantaged children, young people and adults. There are various ways in which it does this, with a particular focus on access to learning and good food.
Through its training academy anyone out of work or education, or who is looking to begin their journey into employment, can join in a programme designed to help build confidence, develop life skills and gain qualifications. Among the invaluable things they offer are support with CV writing, job applications and interviews along with access to digital support and work experience.
A host of professional qualifications including NPA Professional Cookery, Food Hygiene, Barista and Skills for Customer Care are among those on offer. Interested in finding out more? Check out The Larder's Skills For Work webpage here.
Above The Larder CEO Angela Moohan along with the charity's Training Coordinator Kerry McGinley, Fundraising and Communications Manager Emma Husband, and Progressions Coordinator Heather Reid
Through its Training in Schools programme The Larder also provides needs-led learning opportunities for secondary school pupils who are perhaps finding a mainstream education setting difficult.
Good food is at the core of much of the great work the charity does. Through its Catalyst Kitchen it supports anyone who is food insecure through the provision of nutritious, home-cooked ready meals, access to weekly dining experiences, and cook and dine courses for those who struggle to make meals.
They operate a bakery at their Livingston Training Academy (find it at Brucefield Industrial Estate) while you can pop into their cafe at Strathbrock Partnership Centre, Broxburn.
The Larder is also actively campaigning to reduce hunger, and is holding an Emergency Food Summit on Friday, November 19. Here they hope to 'find solutions to ensure no-one in Scotland goes hungry this winter or beyond'. Find out more here.
The Larder has been our charity partner since early 2022, and we're looking forward to building on some of the great work we've already done together as the partnership moves into its second year.
So far this year our engineering team have gone out to the charity to deliver interactive STEAM workshops and we've collaborated with the charity on mock interview days and career events.
Airport teams have also been busy doing a range of fundraising for The Larder - with around £3,500 raised through participation in the Edinburgh Kiltwalk alone - while 253 Easter Eggs were donated following a staff collection at the airport.
Above: The Edinburgh Airport Kiltwalk team
The decision to extend our collaboration to 2023 marks a change in the approach of Edinburgh Airport - with future charity partnerships to run for a duration of two years. This is to fit with our Greater Good sustainability strategy.
Work with community groups sits under the strategy's Trusted Neighbour pillar, and as part of a review of current partnership working it was decided the extension would be the best way to facilitate the further sharing of knowledge, skills and training, in addition to extra volunteering and training opportunities.
Gordon Robertson, Director of Communications and Sustainability at Edinburgh Airport, said: “The Larder has already been a fantastic partner, and we’ve enjoyed collaborating with them on a range of different things - from delivering careers talks and interactive engineering sessions to completing fundraising activities such as the Kiltwalk.
“The renewal of this partnership means we’re now looking forward to doing even more and building on these efforts in the coming months.
Above: The Larder Fundraising and Communications Manager Emma Husband, and Gordon Robertson, Director of Communications and Sustainability at Edinburgh Airport.
“As part of our Greater Good sustainability strategy we want to forge strong links within local communities, and the continuation of this partnership provides us further opportunity to do this.
“The work The Larder does to support young people develop skills and confidence is hugely important. We hope the things we do together can leave a lasting legacy long after our partnership has ended.”
Angela Moohan, CEO, The Larder, said:
“We’re delighted that Edinburgh Airport has chosen to work with The Larder for a second year. The work we have done together has been invaluable to our services, our beneficiaries and our communities and we look forward to what we will achieve throughout 2023."
Find out more about The Larder by visiting their website here.
