We’ve been working with specialist colleges supporting young people with complex disabilities and learning difficulties to get into employment for over a decade, building ‘mini’ Premier Inn hotels on site at Derwen and Hereward in Oswestry and Coventry which operate as training facilities for students.
Our Purple Tuesday pledge – getting 100 interns from special needs establishments into paid employment each year
We’ve been working with specialist colleges supporting young people with complex disabilities and learning difficulties to get into employment for over a decade, building ‘mini’ Premier Inn hotels on site at Derwen and Hereward in Oswestry and Coventry which operate as training facilities for students.
November 7th marks Purple Tuesday 2023, an annual social movement dedicated to improving customer experiences for disabled people and their families worldwide. It’s an incredible initiative, and one that we want to celebrate. So, we’re pledging to get 100 supported interns into paid employment from special needs educational establishments every year.
To achieve our new Purple Tuesday commitment, we’ll be building new partnerships across the UK in support of the cause, as well as strengthening existing relationships.
The mini hotels are indistinguishable from our regular hotels, featuring three en-suite bedrooms, a reception desk and linen rooms, as well as the usual extras like ‘do not disturb’ signs and usual tea and coffee-making facilities.
These facilities were made possible thanks to the outstanding support of some of Whitbread’s suppliers, who generously donated their time and money to support with the builds.
Built as part of our Force for Good programme, these mini Premier Inn hotels are partnership projects with further educational facilities, which specialise in teaching necessary skills for independent living and employment for young people with disabilities and additional needs.
From guest relations to housekeeping, the facilities enable young people to learn about all areas of hospitality in a completely realistic yet safe hotel environment, and are believed to be the only facilities of their kind in the UK.
Even better still, young people taking part in the programme have the opportunity to undertake supported internships, and many have gone on to paid employment in Premier Inn hotels across the country!
Simon Ewins, Managing Director for Premier Inn and Restaurants and Whitbread Executive Sponsor for Disability Inclusion said:
“As an inclusive employer, our longstanding college partnerships - and of course the graduates who have gone on to work for Premier Inn - are incredibly important to us. We welcome tens of millions of guests to our hotels and restaurants every year, lots of whom have disabilities – hidden and visible – and it’s really important they feel represented in our team member base. We recognise true inclusion never stands still and so we’re absolutely delighted to announce our intent to accelerate our work in this vital area”.
"Retention rates for students who move into employment with Premier Inn are high, with the majority still employed by us. For others, the experience has built their confidence, relationships and skills for life, with some going on to work for other major companies outside of hospitality."
Paul Cook MBE, Principal and CEO of Hereward College commented:
“It’s incredibly energising when a prestigious corporation of the size of Whitbread invests in the specialist college sector. Being part of the Whitbread Force for Good strategy is a huge privilege for Hereward College and we are committed to continuing to work closely with Whitbread to realise the potential of this opportunity across the country.”
Purple Tuesday CEO Mike Adams OBE added:
“The best disability inclusive organisations are ones that provide a quality customer experience and promote real employment opportunities. Representation in every sense. We are delighted that Whitbread are Purple Tuesday Partners.”
We’re committed to supporting all of our colleagues, including those from under-represented groups such as any with disabilities, ethnically diverse and those in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Last year on Purple Tuesday, we announced our commitment to the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower across our UK & Ireland hotels. If you’re an educational institution or local authority and are interested in exploring this opportunity with us, please email DiversityandInclusion@Whitbread.com to find out more.