Calling all Cambridge businesses with expertise to share

A year after a scheme to bring schools and businesses together launched in Cambridge, an event is taking place at Cambridge University Press to call on more local businesses to get involved.

The 'Business Class' education programme, designed to bring business expertise to secondary schools, was launched in Cambridge last November by the charity Business in the Community (BITC), Cambridge University Press, Dalehead Foods and Ridgeons.

Business Class aims to raise aspirations for schools and their pupils by building sustained, long-term partnerships between schools and experienced local business people. The businesses involved offer mentoring, work experience, advice, guidance and use of facilities.

The partnerships under the scheme in Cambridge so far are: Cambridge University Press and Parkside Federation Academies; Dalehead Foods and Linton Village College; and Ridgeons and The Manor School. Senior representatives from all three businesses involved in Business Class in Cambridge will be at the event to inspire other employers in Cambridge to partner with schools. Eight companies not currently engaged with Business Class will be attending, including The Grafton Centre, as well as representatives from schools, Business in the Community, and students from Parkside Federation.

Heidi Mulvey, Head of Community Engagement at Cambridge University Press, said: "Although Business Class is a national scheme started in 2008, it is only a year old in Cambridge. Schools and the businesses involved already in Cambridge have both benefitted hugely in the last year, with really inspiring projects being worked on, and we would urge more local businesses to help support our local schools."

The event is part of a nationwide campaign this week by Business in the Community to encourage more businesses and schools to work together through the Business Class programme.

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community, said: "Business Class in Action aims to raise awareness of the pressing challenges faced by young people and the role that business must play to help tackle them at a time of record youth unemployment. Over 2,000 people will be taking part in events across the country this week, providing solutions and sharing practical examples of how business and schools are collaborating to boost pupil achievement and school performance.  Business, government and schools have a joint responsibility to help create the workforces of the future and we encourage more businesses and schools to work together for the long-term."

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

High-res images will be available from the event.

About Cambridge University Press

Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Its purpose is to further the University's objective of advancing learning, knowledge and research. Its peer-reviewed publishing lists comprise 45,000 titles covering academic research, professional development, over 300 research journals, school-level education, English language teaching and bible publishing.

Cambridge takes pride in supporting community programmes across the globe. With an ethos that embraces the University's mission to further the cause of learning, and with offices all over the world, Cambridge is well placed to make a difference to the communities in which it works. Its staff are encouraged to offer practical help, advice and funding to nurture vital charitable, educational and voluntary partnerships.

About Business in the Community

Business in the Community is a business-led charity with a growing membership of over 850 companies. They work locally, nationally and internationally with 115 global partners. With a further 11,000 engaged in our campaigns and an employee reach of 16.8 million - they are one of the largest and most influential leadership networks focused on driving responsible business practice.

They offer members a range of practical information, tools, training and resources to help them transform their businesses and integrate responsible practices into their operations. And they ask their members to work in partnership with them to help transform communities and tackle serious social issues where business can make a real difference, and in so doing the businesses are transformed themselves.

Business in the Community is one of the Prince's Charities, a group of not-for-profit organisations of which The Prince of Wales is President.

For more information, go to: www.bitc.org.uk

About Business Class

Business Class is Business in the Community's flagship, education programme. It aims to create a sea change in the way businesses work with secondary schools, rooted in long term strategic partnerships and collaborative action.

For more information, go to: http://www.bitc.org.uk/community/education/business_class/index.html

About Dalehead Foods

Dalehead Foods is a division of Tulip Ltd, one of the largest meat processors in the UK. Dalehead Foods is a dedicated supplier to Waitrose of all fresh pork, bacon, sausage, cooked meats, lamb and added value products. Dalehead operates five sites in the UK, which are all committed to maintaining and enhancing the unique supply chain in which Dalehead and Waitrose operate. Integrity within the supply chain is paramount, from the rearing of pigs and lambs on farm, to the skill of trained butchers and production of high quality pork and lamb products.

For more information, go to: www.dalehead.co.uk

About RIDGEONS

RIDGEONS began in a backroom in Cambridge in 1911 and is now one of the UK's largest independent Timber and Builders Merchants with 26 locations across the East of England.

For more information, go to: http://www.ridgeons.co.uk/