Lisa Goodwin-Allen backs food education in Lancashire

The chef patron at Northcote in Langho will act as an ambassador for the Prept Foundation’s expansion into the North West, where the programme will reach 90 schools and deliver 3,000 cooking classes to children across the region.

This comes amid growing concerns about the lack of food education in schools across the North, with almost two-thirds of children missing out on dedicated lessons.

Alex Shannon, managing director of food equipment company Gastronomy Plus, which is supporting the scheme, said: "When we first met the Prept Foundation, we immediately understood what they were trying to achieve.

"This isn’t just about teaching children how to cook, it’s about giving them confidence around food and practical skills they can take with them for the rest of their lives.

"There are more than 80,000 children living in low-income families across Lancashire, so there is a huge amount of need on our doorstep.

"As a local business, we wanted to play a genuine role in supporting our community and doing something that could have a lasting impact.

"Food and hospitality is a fantastic industry and can open up so many doors for young people."

Prept Foundation, already established in schools across London and Sussex, is now expanding into Lancashire with the backing of Gastronomy Plus, which has pledged three years of funding and support.

The programme aims to equip children with life skills through cooking, understanding nutrition, and building a healthier relationship with food.

A total of 25 to 30 Lancashire schools have already signed up.

The need for such programmes is clear, with 78 per cent of food technology teachers citing the cost of ingredients as a major barrier to delivering lessons.

Nearly two-thirds of children in Northern regions lack access to dedicated food education in school.

Mr Shannon said: "Their first experience of cooking could be the start of discovering a future career they hadn’t considered before.

"We want children from every background to have that opportunity.

"That’s why our support is a long-term commitment.

"We’re not here for a few months and then moving on, we’re supporting the foundation for three years because we want to see what a sustained investment in food education can achieve across Lancashire."

The programme not only teaches practical cooking skills but also helps children understand where food comes from and introduces them to opportunities in the food and hospitality sector.

The involvement of Ms Goodwin-Allen is expected to further inspire students and showcase the potential career paths available in the industry.

Daniel Wade, co-founder of the Prept Foundation, said: "Launching in Lancashire is a huge milestone for us as we continue our expansion across the UK.

"This is only possible with the support of Gastronomy Plus.

"It’s a privilege to work with companies that share our values and highlights the power of collaboration.

"With the support from Alex and the whole team, we will be able to make a huge impact in Lancashire."

By providing fully funded, hands-on education, the Prept Foundation hopes to bridge the gap in food learning and empower the next generation with essential life skills.