Busy morning at Right2Work HQ in Kendal this morning with some VIP guests getting the grand tour of the Mintsfeet site. Members of the Westmorland Ltd Family Group (the largest private employer in Eden District and a well regarded Cumbrian business) were coming to see first hand what R2W is all about. (Many of you will be familiar with Westmorland – best known for Tebay Services, Rheged etc).
Chair Sarah Dunning was very impressed and keen to set up partnerships.
R2W already have a link in human form with Westmorland Ltd – as learner James is on a successful internship at the Rheged Centre off JN 40 of the M6 learning retail.
The group also got to see the ‘life skills’ area -where R2W learners get to learn the basics like making a bed, doing a clothes wash and so on.
Westmorland – like many businesses also have recruitment as a key business objective – and a link with R2W “Work & Learn” team could prove fruitful. There was also a seed sown on possible retail opportunities with Westmorland for Furniture Warehouse.
In the afternoon they then ventured to the R2W Appleby Hub to find out more about our social enterprise and the activities of the ‘Work & Learn’ team Job Coach in rural Eden.
Update 5th February
We got this lovely message via Kristine McGlothlin at Cumbria Community Foundation: “Thank you all so much for your time and help in hosting Sarah Dunning and members of the Westmorland Senior Management Team last Thursday. They thoroughly enjoyed the visits and enjoyed learning more about what you do. Please pass on our sincere thanks to all your trustees, board members, staff, volunteers and especially to your service users for sharing their experiences and talking about how the funding has helped them.I personally am so grateful for all your help and feel very fortunate to work with such kind and accommodating people as yourselves. We wish you continued success with your valuable work.”
