Sheffield jobs: How free breakfast every day at a Sheffield training centre helps get lives back on track

Imagine trying to start your life over on an empty stomach.

There’s a training centre in Sheffield that shows a simple kindness to its learners.

It’s not everyone, but some of the people who pass through the doors of Momentum Recruitment on Scotland Street will be in a bad way. They could have been out of employment for months, lost for structure or routine, desperately short on funds, and hoping a new qualification will get their lives back on track.

It turns out the remedy to all that starts with a good breakfast.

In their most recent Ofsted report, the centre was praised for offering all its learners breakfast before lessons begin - and food parcels to go home with when they need it.

And ‘t’s not just cereal. When The Star visited on April 11, the spread included baked beans, toast, bagels, crumpets, fruit, yoghurt, porridge and hot drinks. As well as cereal.

“It’s like building blocks,” said centre manager Beverley Miles. “Like Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It goes, food, shelter... You can’t concentrate on an empty stomach.

“And it gets learners into a routine they might not have. When they start coming in the morning regularly they get a square meal, they talk with people, they make friends. And hopefully when they leave they continue to eat in the morning. It’s healthy living.”

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For trainees hoping a qualification in areas like security, nails, forklift truck driving, welding and many others might open some doors to stable lifestyle, knowing their first meal of the day is taken care of at no cost can make solving problems much, much easier.

Another staff member, Joanne Mullkeen, said: “We see a lot of people who have been isolated for a long time or have anxiety or low self esteem. “We had one man who was who was living rough - every day we used to pack him up some sandwiches and a drink. We ended up buying him a flask for hot drinks and a blanket. Then other learners got him a sleeping bag and a jacket. It’s not just the centre supporting them but the other learners.”

One learner, Adam, told The Star how he was made redundant from his last job and went six months before starting his security course.

“I didn’t know the breakfasts were a thing when I started,” said Adam.

“It’s really important to eat. You won’t learn anything if you’re tired and fatigued. And people could be struggling.

“Even if you don’t eat in the morning, half way through lessons Bev or a staff member will put their head round the door and ask if anyone wants what left. It can make a difference.”

Another learner, Lidia, said she comes to classes from the other side of Sheffield and having breakfast taken care of means the world some days. She also praised staff for helping her find her confidence. Royce, who is also studying security, said he doesn’t know anywhere else that helps its learners with hot food in the morning.

As Ofsted puts it, helping people “feel safe and well cared for” has a direct result on trainees sticking to their course and working for their qualifications.

If a solid breakfast could be at the start of every day at training centres nationwide, who knows how much good it could do.

Joanne said: “It’s amazing how when you offer people some simple joys and they really start to look forward to it every day.

“Even when people leave, they poke their head back in now and then to show off what they’re up to now, or if they’re struggling a bit we tell to come in and get something to eat.

“It’s not a chore at all as a job. It costs nothing to show some kindness and support people. We get to see some smiling faces every day.”