Member Article

Entrepreneur cooks up answer to school's learning dilemma

Pupils at a Stourbridge school will now be able to take part in cooking lessons after their ‘SOS’ letter was answered by a kind-hearted local businessman.

Mitchell Smith, Managing Director of Black Country Kitchens, has come to the rescue of St James’s C.E. Primary School by installing a brand new ‘Beko’ oven.

This will now be used by teachers to educate more than 160 children every year on cooking and healthy eating as part of a new approach to the curriculum.

“Our previous oven was 20 years old and didn’t work properly, which was preventing us from giving our pupils access to vital learning experiences,” explained Gail Hollis, Office Manager at St James’s C.E. Primary School.

“We tasked the children with handwriting a letter explaining the situation and then we sent it out to a number of local businesses. Black Country Kitchens responded immediately and said they would step in to help.”

She continued: “Lessons are now taking place and we are already teaching how to cook baked onion bhajis, pasta bake, vegetable crumble, pizza and fairy cakes. You never know, we could have the next top chef in our ranks.”

The oven was installed in January, with the Mayor of Dudley Cllr Steve Waltho officially launching the new kitchen facility this week.

He praised the school’s entrepreneurial approach to solving a learning issue, whilst also celebrating the fact a local business provided a free of charge answer to the problem.

Mitchell Smith, Managing Director of Black Country Kitchens, went on to add: “We are passionate about our local roots so were more than happy to help, in order to ensure pupils had the opportunity to learn about cooking.

“Just seeing how excited the children are to make their own food is very rewarding and I’m pleased that our small gesture will go some way to potentially starting a number of new careers and making them understand the importance of healthy eating.”

Established in July 2015, Black Country Kitchens has enjoyed a whirlwind first ten months in business, opening its own showroom in Brierley Hill and securing more than £100,000 of sales to the general public and commercial customers.

It offers the complete service, from talking clients through their requirements to designing bespoke kitchens and fitting them quickly and efficiently.

Each purchase is marked by the presentation of a special local hamper full of Bathams and Holdens beer, scratchings, black pudding and faggots.

For further information, please visit www.blackcountrykitchens.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .