A Junior Chef from Shoreditch Trust's Blue Marble Training visited Hackney Town Hall last month to accept a very special donation.
Councillor Clare Potter, the 2018/19 Hackney Speaker, used her year in office to support local youth charities, raising funds and awareness through appeals and sponsored activities. She even hosted a meal at our very own Waterhouse Restaurant for the collective Mayors of London, cooked by the young chefs from Blue Marble.
Her dedication raised over £20,000, shared between Blue Marble Training and other projects. Councillor Potter was joined by the current Speaker, the Mayor of Hackney and charity representatives for a cheque presentation in the Speaker's Office.
Blue Marble supports around 50 young people a year, offering professional chef training and support, with a focus on people facing difficult circumstances or barriers to learning and employment.
Based in a live restaurant kitchen, the scheme offers hands on practical experience and fosters team work, social connection and a commitment to quality. Blue Marble alumni are now working in some of London's leading restaurants, are head chefs running their own kitchens, or have returned to formal education.
If you know a young person who would like to learn to cook or who needs help with independent living skills click here to find out more about Blue Marble Training
