Sacha Lord to launch hospitality charity

Manchester’s night-time economy advisor, Sacha Lord, will create a foundation to help disadvantaged young people pursue a hospitality career in the UK.

The Sacha Lord Foundation, set up and funded by Lord, is currently applying for charitable status. It is slated to launch in late 2023.

The foundation will provide opportunities in both the hospitality and event sectors, supporting disadvantaged young people aged 15 to 21 years in Greater Manchester in attaining a career in hospitality.

Lord said: “There are so many young people in Greater Manchester, particularly after Covid, who will be in the same position I was back in the day, where you feel like everyone else knows what they’re doing and you don’t.

“This will be especially prevalent in the more deprived areas across our city-region where opportunities are few and far between, and the financial means to follow your desired career path are limited.”

The Sacha Lord Foundation will partner with schools, colleges and higher education facilities to fund and provide education placements through scholarships and maintenance grants.

It will also work directly with employers to develop work experience placements allowing students to learn and develop real-world skills and widen career development pathways.

Lord continued: “Opportunities, whether that be through education or employment, are something that every student should have access to, no matter where you’re from or your background.

“That’s why I’m passionate about this foundation, so that we can provide better support to young people through dedicated mentorship, training and funding, and so that they can go on to pursue a career in the sector and become the leaders of the future.”

Earlier this week, Lord called for the UK government to rethink its business energy support to prevent “swathes” of venues from closing.