Schoolchildren in Chester have been given a hands-on introduction to the world of hospitality as part of a new initiative designed to inspire young people to consider careers in the industry.
The awareness drive is being led by hotelier Steven Hesketh, owner of the Chester Townhouse Hotel and Hotel Wrexham, and founder of the Hospitality Hero programme.
Steven recently published Bee Our Guest, a children’s book aimed at opening young minds to the creativity and opportunities within hospitality. During a visit to Newton Primary School in Chester, he gifted 60 copies of the book to Year Six pupils before leading a series of interactive workshops.
Pupils took part in activities including mocktail making, napkin folding, restaurant design and biscuit icing, giving them a practical insight into the skills involved in hospitality roles.
Reflecting on the visit, Steven said: “The children were incredible. Their ideas were so imaginative – from superhero restaurants to gaming cafés and animal-themed venues. It was a reminder of what hospitality really is when you strip it back: creativity, people and experiences.
“There’s so much negativity around hospitality – long hours, lack of respect – but when you see a room full of children excited by the idea of creating something and making people feel welcome, it changes everything.”
Steven said he believes the pupils went home talking about hospitality not just as “hotel jobs” or “waitressing”, but as an exciting and creative career path.
The Hospitality Hero team now hopes to expand the programme to more schools locally, with the long-term ambition of taking it nationwide. However, Steven said funding will be essential to make that possible.
“We gave every child a book because we wanted maximum impact for the first visit, but that isn’t sustainable without support. If this is going to grow properly, it needs backing from schools, sponsors, grants or businesses who want to invest in the future workforce of hospitality.”
Steven added: ““Everyone talks about the staffing crisis and changing perceptions. This is what that actually looks like – starting young, before kids decide what’s ‘cool’ or not.”
Notes to editors
For more information or to support the campaign, email: Jessica@thehospitalityhero.com
Bee Our Guest follows a team of animal characters working in a hotel, introducing children to the range of roles within hospitality. The 40-page full-colour book was created by Steven Hesketh alongside author Natalie Reeves Billing and illustrator Hannah Jesse.
The book launched in September to critical acclaim, reaching #2 on Amazon’s bestseller rankings and earning a five-star rating. It is available in English and Welsh via Amazon and www.beeourguest.co.uk
