Celebrity chef teams up with Blackburn students to launch new scholarship programme

Nigel Haworth, who has run the Northcote Group and Ribble Valley inns since 1989, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Blackburn College.

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As part of the deal, full-time front of house and chef students in their third year will be able to apply for the 12 month Nigel Haworth scholarship.

This would lead to a certificate on successful completion of the scholarship, as well as mentoring opportunities, where students can develop their employability skills with links to industry.

Work experience and placements are also available to catering and hospitality students, who can work one day a week at Northcote at Blackburn Rovers, The Three Fishes in Mitton and The Clog and Billycock in Blackburn.

The agreement also includes competitions, management training, plus training and funding opportunities.

Paul Sharples, curriculum area manager at Blackburn College for catering and hospitality said: “It’s important to us that our students get to experience what working in a real-life environment is like. “Collaborations such as our scholarship programme with Northcote help them stand out in the crowd when it comes to applying to University or getting the best jobs in a demanding industry.

“There’s a demand locally for highly trained chefs with top establishments such as Northcote.

“Colleges cannot work in isolation to train people without learning what the industry really requires – schemes such as this help bridge that gap.”

Mr Haworth said: “Our business is based in Blackburn and we have several pubs in the area, as well as the most famous restaurant in the area, so partnering up with Blackburn College seemed to be a logical thing we should have been doing a long time ago.

“We have such a great training facility at Northcote. We’re looking forward to working with Blackburn College to help people’s development, from trainee chefs to mature students, a fantastic opportunity.”