1308 Educators providing Courses

Sophie Conran

sophie conran

Wroughton

Sophie Conran is the only daughter of designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran and food writer Caroline Conran. Sister to fashion designer Jasper, restaurateurs Tom and Ned and product designer Sebastian, Sophie has two wonderful grown-up children. Sophie left school early and worked through a variety of different jobs including apprenticing for Stephen Jones the couture milliner, working in Jasper's fashion empire, running a supper club which evolved into a catering company, working in a small business making boxer shorts and another hand-making lollipops. She delved into the world of interior design with various show homes, private homes and retail projects. She has worked as a buyer for both The Conran Shop and The Design Museum shop and also set up her own 'corner shop of the world' Wong Singh Jones in Notting Hill. Sophie moved to Melbourne, Australia for a couple of years where she worked for clothing and homeware brand Country Road and was a contributing writer for The Age newspaper and Belle magazine, as well as having her son Felix. On her return to the UK, Sophie had her daughter Coco. While raising her young children, she collaborated with her father on several of his restaurant interiors and worked again with Jasper on colour predictions and his range with Debenhams. Sophie launched Sophie Conran Pies - a gourmet collection of top quality, handmade pies, which won 4 medals at the Great Taste Awards. She supplied racecourses with her brand Great British Pies, which led to her debut cookbook Pies, published in November 2006. This was followed by Easy Pies for Marks and Spencer and later Soups and Stews, published in 2008. Sophie has been a contributing editor for the magazines Junior, House Beautiful, In Style and Country Living. Sophie regularly writes and develops recipes for her blog, newsletters, catalogues and publications. March 2006 saw the launch of Sophie’s hugely successful range with Portmeirion. The range has won many prestigious awards and is sold worldwide, with the range continuing to expand. Sophie now works with many amazing companies creating stunning, well-known ranges. She partnered with Arthouse in 2008 to develop a range of wallpapers for B&Q and luxury design pattern books, and in 2010 she began her relationship with Burgon & Ball - creating an ever-growing range of garden tools and accessories. In the same year, Sophie joined forces with the British Cutlers to the Queen, Arthur Price, and has 2 extremely successful cutlery ranges with them. Sophieconran.com was launched in 2013 and is the culmination of all Sophie’s passions and previous work. Alongside her license ranges, she develops exclusive collections and curates from a wealth of exceptional suppliers and manufacturers all over the world. Sophieconran.com has become a beloved and inspirational shop for the whole home and garden, with exciting new collections launching seasonally and sent out into the world in four beautiful catalogues each year.

The Key - Unlock Potential

the key - unlock potential

London

The Key Unlock Potential is a Bristol-based charity founded by volunteers who were recruited by The Restore Trust. The charity was registered in July 2019, registration number 1184633. Our team is made up of board members including representatives from the Restore Trust and HMP Bristol and volunteers. Find out more on our team page → The story so far The charity was registered by Suzanne Thompson of the Restore Trust Bristol in response to a need to reduce reoffending by providing access to work. Prisoners reported that on release from prison, they face huge challenges in obtaining paid employment. The charity name was chosen by a focus group in the prison, and the board continue to value the importance of the voice of those with lived experience. The Key facts Many people with convictions struggle to obtain work. According to gov.uk, just 17% of ex-offenders secure a job within a year of release. A YouGov survey commissioned by the DWP found that 50% of employers would choose not to employ ex-offenders, deeming them unskilled and untrustworthy. This is despite 86% of companies that employ ex-offenders rating them as “good at their job”, and 81% of consumers stating that companies who employ ex-offenders are positively contributing to society. The lack of stability and lack of security due to unemployment creates a cycle of reoffending and makes successful rehabilitation much more challenging. This must change, and as the statistics above illustrate, tackling this problem can be beneficial for all parties involved. Food with conviction Our vision is to create a safe, welcoming café and retail hub on Bristol’s Gloucester Road that will provide a steppingstone for people transitioning into permanent employment, a destination for the local community, and a mechanism for fundraising. The food for the café will be prepared in the prison’s commercial kitchen, by prisoners. The cafe will operate 5 days a week and will be open between 8:30am and 5:30pm serving “food with conviction”. Interspersed within the café area will be art and handmade items for sale. This will include garden furniture made from pallets, including tables and planters as well as products such as keep cups and cotton bags designed and printed in the prison. We will provide paid employment placements for people released on temporary licence (RoTL) or who have recently left prison. This will help address the most pressing issues facing the prison population, by providing access to work experience and employment, training and rehabilitation support; as a result, beneficiaries will develop transferable skills that will enable them to move on to permanents jobs. Our vision is Key We are on a mission to help people rebuild their lives after they leave prison. We want to give people the tools they need to unlock confidence, pride, and positivity. We want to create a safe space for personal growth and practical experience that will enable people to secure future employment, financial stability, and break the cycle of reoffending.