Latest News Kendal College is branching out into Penrith after securing a new deal to help run a food technology centre on the edge of the town. The further education college already recruits some students from Eden to its courses but now it is hoping to support rural businesses by joining forces with the Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency (CREA).They will be identifying and nurturing new and emerging food manufacturing businesses in Cumbria. Kendal College is already recognised nationally for the quality of its hospitality, catering and food production expertise. The Food Technology Centre is based just off junction 40 of the M6 at Redhills, next door to the CREA headquarters.It was opened by the Queen in 2008 and provides facilities for up to six businesses to produce Distinctly Cumbrian food products.It is currently occupied by three companies specialising in luxury handcrafted chocolates, speciality curries and cakes and patisseries. Graham Wilkinson, principal of Kendal College, said: “This is an ideal partnership that will enable us to foster and nurture enterprise in the county.“We have many advanced college students, both past and present, who are keen to set up their own food-related businesses and would really benefit from an infrastructure around them to help nurture and incubate their new businesses.“This venture will allow them to make it happen.”Would-be entrepreneurs can seek free advice from the college’s finance team and get their business ideas tested with the college’s food production team. CREA chief executive Lynne Fox said “We are excited at the prospect of developing this partnership with Kendal College because we can see there is real potential to join up skills development and business support to give better help to the food and drink sector in Cumbria and ultimately create more businesses and local jobs.” It is the third commercial partnership that Kendal College has embarked on. Bill Broekhuizen, chairman of the college governors, said: “In the present economic climate the college has sought innovative ways of creating new solutions in the community we both live and work in and Kendal College is delighted to work with the CREA board to make this exciting project happen.” South Lakes MP Tim Farron said: “It is fantastic news and I am delighted that all the college's hard work has come to fruition.“Under the leadership of Graham Wilkinson and his management team the college has gone from strength to strength and I want to pay tribute to them.” The partnership will be officially launched on February 1. |
