Students run the show at CRCC’s 80th anniversary Truro banquet

Eight young people planned the menu, cooked the food and ran front-of-house for a room of more than 60 guests. One of them stood up afterwards and said she is now thinking about a career in the trade.

A banquet the students led from start to finish

The event took place at Old Bakery Studios in Truro on Thursday 2 July, part of a wider programme marking Cornwall Rural Community Charity’s 80th anniversary year.

Eight students from CRCC’s Learn Your Way and Work Your Way programmes prepared and delivered the banquet, taking the lead on everything from menu planning and food preparation to front-of-house service, teamwork and communication.

The guest list brought together representatives from GWR, Cornwall Council, Watergate Bay, Sea Space, Yallah Coffee, Penwith Carers, Geevor Tin Mine and the Great Cornish Food Store, alongside the Mayor of Newquay and the Deputy Mayor of Truro.

📷CRCC team with some of the Learn Your Way and Work Your Way students at CRCC’s 80th anniversary banquet

What Learn Your Way and Work Your Way do

Both programmes are fully funded and support young people aged 16 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan. The aim is to build independence, gain Level 2 qualifications, develop practical skills and take part in supported work placements, then move into employment and everyday life with more confidence.

They are delivered in partnership with the Cornwall Hospitality Collective, which helps open up clear routes into Cornwall’s hospitality sector.

Katherine Nissen, CEO of CRCC, said the banquet showed why the work matters. “As we mark our 80th anniversary year, this event is a powerful reminder of the impact our work continues to have across Cornwall’s communities and beyond,” she said.

“Seeing these young people take the lead and showcase their skills with such confidence highlights exactly why the programmes we deliver, such as Learn Your Way and Work Your Way, are so important, not only for the individuals involved, but for the future of our communities and local workforce. We are incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.”

James Cavanagh-Shaddock, Director at Cornwall Hospitality Collective, said the standard on the night spoke for itself. “Working with CRCC on these education programmes allows us to support young people to gain meaningful, transferable skills while also connecting them with local employers,” he said.

“The standard on display at this event shows just how impactful the programme is, not only for the young people involved, but for businesses looking to build an inclusive and skilled workforce.”

📷Jessica H, age 21, a student on the Work Your Way Supported Internship programme

The numbers behind the programmes

More than 40 students have taken part this year. Of those on the programmes in 2025, more than 95% went on to employment, further education, internships or voluntary work.

Martin Prodger, Engagement and Development Manager at CRCC and the person leading the programmes, said the results are measurable. “What we’re seeing through Learn Your Way and Work Your Way is real, measurable impact, young people building confidence, gaining recognised qualifications and developing the skills employers are looking for,” he said.

“Events like this are a key part of that journey, giving students the chance to apply those skills in a real-world setting and show what they’re capable of.”

For Layla Gapp, age 19, the course has already changed how she sees her future. “I really love coming to Learn Your Way, the course has helped me increase my independence and confidence,” she said. “Working at the event at the Old Bakery Studios has really helped me and I am thinking about going into the hospitality industry.”

📷Layla G, age 19, a student on CRCC’s Learn Your Way programme

The charity behind the banquet

Beyond training and education, CRCC plays a wider role that often goes unseen. In 2025 the charity supported more than 4,000 unpaid carers and 5,600 residents, helped young people into work and delivered hundreds of community projects. It invested over £4 million into communities through work spanning education, environmental projects and health and wellbeing services, including the Cornwall Carers Service, the Rural Housing Enabler programme, Clean Cornwall and Fishing Animateur.

The charity works with partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors, including the NHS, Cornwall Council, DEFRA, the Seafarers’ Charity and the Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum.

More to come in the anniversary year

The banquet is one of several events running through CRCC’s 80th anniversary year in 2026, marking eight decades of work across Cornwall. Still to come is a major fundraising campaign built around an 80-mile coastal walk challenge, followed by an anniversary gala in November.

You can support the CRCC 80th anniversary fundraising campaign or find out more about the charity’s work at cornwallrcc.org.uk.

📷Students aged between 16 and 24 on the CRCC Learn Your Way and Work Your Way programmes prepared a banquet for over 60 people