Jim Eadie MSP helped Sainsbury’s celebrate 30 years in Scotland by hosting an anniversary reception at the Scottish Parliament recently.
Peter Griffiths, CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank and the Group’s Board Champion for Scotland, spoke about the training opportunities available to colleagues in Sainsbury’s food colleges
Jim Eadie MSP hosted an anniversary reception at the Scottish Parliament. The retailer first opened in Scotland with their Cameron Toll store in his Edinburgh Southern constituency.
He was joined by fellow Members of the Scottish Parliament as well as Sainsbury’s colleagues, suppliers and charities to hear more about Sainsbury’s growth in Scotland over the last three decades, which now includes 85 stores employing over 8,000 colleagues. Minister for Youth and Women’s Employment, Anabelle Ewing MSP, also spoke at the reception.
Peter Griffiths, CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank, and the Group’s Board Champion for Scotland, outlined Sainsbury’s focus on skills and development training and in particular the key role Sainsbury’s six food colleges play, one of which is based in Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
The College offers training to colleagues working on the meat, fish, deli, hot food counters and in the bakery and café and colleagues receive in-depth accredited City and Guilds training from a team of experts. Over 3,000 colleagues have received training at the Murrayfield College, and reception guests were able to have a go at some of the skills the college teaches.
Guests at the reception were joined by colleagues from Sainsbury’s Cameron Toll store. Since first opening its doors in autumn 1984, the store has continued to serve its local community and only last year the store completed a major refurbishment, which saw 86 new positions, 25 of which were filled in collaboration with Remploy. And since September, colleagues have raised over £1,500 for Guide Dogs Scotland, their Local Charity partner.
Jim Eadie, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, said:
“I was delighted to host this reception in order to celebrate the contribution Sainsbury’s makes both to my constituency and across Scotland. Their commitment to the community and the emphasis they place on skills and development is particularly welcome. The reception was a great way for my parliamentary colleagues to learn more and to turn their hand to some of the skills taught at the Sainsbury’s Murrayfield Food College.”
David Bainbridge, Sainsbury’s Cameron Toll Store Manager, added:
“It means a lot to us to be part of the celebration and to work at the first store to open in Scotland. This event celebrates our brilliant colleagues and the importance we place on making a positive difference in our local communities across Scotland. Our Values are extremely important to us and I’m proud of my colleagues who live them every day.”
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