The Cooks’ Charity recently approved a £10,000 grant to support the continuation of The CRUMBS Project’s Traineeship Programme for 2026/27, after a break of two years, reinforcing a longstanding partnership that has already transformed the lives of disadvantaged adults across Dorset.
Support from the Cooks’ Charity in 2021/22 enabled the establishment of the CRUMBS Traineeship Programme which, as previously reported in What’s Cooking, helped trainees Hannah and Matthew gain qualifications, confidence, independence and paid employment in hospitality in Dorset. The Traineeship Programme has proven to be transformative, both in advancing catering and hospitality skills and professional experience, but also in developing and improving the self-esteem, confidence, healthy eating habits and well-being of individuals who are often marginalised and would otherwise have limited opportunity to grow and contribute to society.
The CRUMBS Project is a Bournemouth-based charity providing hospitality training for adults with disabilities or mental health conditions and had previously benefited from a three-year commitment from the Cooks Charity.
Alongside the training in the kitchen and bakery, CRUMBS has established a kitchen garden, and trainees understand how food is grown and develop new skills.
The 2026 proposal sought £20,000 to extend and strengthen its Traineeship Programme and enable learners who would otherwise be unable to access training or progress toward employment with much needed help. With no statutory funding and rising food and energy costs, the annual cost of training an individual is £15,154. This covers all professional training, ingredients, equipment, mentoring, digital learning, employer engagement, masterclasses, and meals.
The Cooks Charity approved half of the requested amount, with the remaining £10,000 shortfall met by the City & Guilds Foundation, ensuring the programme can proceed as planned.
The City & Guilds Foundation works closely with the Cooks Charity on a range of education and skills-focused initiatives, and Past Master Bob Grainger, as the Cooks’ representative on the C&G Foundation’s Council, has worked hard to ensure both organisations commit to collaborate on future projects that promote inclusion, opportunity, and professional development within the hospitality sector.
The Traineeship Programme has already demonstrated significant impact. Trainees such as Emily and Tyler have progressed from training into paid employment, gained industry-recognised qualifications, and developed vital life skills including confidence, independence, and digital literacy. The programme also supports wider industry needs, helping address ongoing staffing shortages in hospitality by equipping trainees with practical, work-ready skills.
The CRUMBS project acknowledges that without the backing of the Cooks Charity and the City & Guilds Foundation, the lifechanging outcomes the Traineeship Programme will provide, simply would not be possible.
With funding now secured, CRUMBS will expand training opportunities, strengthen digital inclusion initiatives, and continue delivering hands-on hospitality education that empowers disadvantaged adults to achieve their professional and personal goals.
Emily’s Story
Emily is 25 and has a learning disability, is neurodivergent and has hearing loss. Living with her parents and with few close friends, she has often felt isolated and anxious, but CRUMBS has given her a welcoming route into hospitality, independence and connection. Through its Food Production & Service programme, Emily has built hands-on skills in cooking, baking, barista work and customer service, while taking part in showcase meals, charity skills exchanges, chef-led masterclasses and food-focused field trips. Her talent in practical cookery, decoration and presentation has really shone through — especially in October 2025, when she led the team creating chef-crafted canapés for an Institute of Hospitality event in Bournemouth.
That growing confidence has opened real doors. After work experience at Rick Stein Sandbanks in 2024, Emily completed two placements with the Catering department at Bournemouth & Poole College in 2025. She has since taken another big step, joining The CRUMBS Project in her first paid role as a Training Support Assistant. “I’ve learned loads since I’ve been at The CRUMBS Project,” she says. “It’s really helped me improve my confidence. I feel so much better about myself.”
Tyler’s Story
Tyler is in his early 20s and has autism, which affects how he experiences and processes the world around him. Art has long been an important outlet for him, helping him express himself and manage the challenges of daily life in his own creative way.
Tyler joined CRUMBS’ Foundation programme in 2023 to build confidence, skills and a clearer path for the future. After completing ten training units, he progressed in 2024 to Food Production & Service, gaining hands-on experience across the kitchen, bakery, laundry, garden, dining area and computer room. He has learned cooking, baking, hygiene, food safety, customer service, teamwork and time management, achieved his Level 2 Food Safety qualification and passed Institute of Hospitality-endorsed units in Food Safety and Basic Cakes. In March 2024, a two-week placement at Rick Stein Sandbanks gave him a real taste of restaurant life, from food preparation and order management to workplace etiquette. As Tyler put it: “It went swimmingly well.”
Alongside practical hospitality training, Tyler has built strong digital skills, completing nine Digital Skills units and eleven extra e-learning modules to support his independence and employability. In 2025, he used those new skills and experience to explore local work placements and secure paid employment in hospitality at a pub in Wimborne. He also passed his driving test, giving him even greater independence, and now mentors others with similar conditions, helping them grow in confidence and develop skills for self-employment.
