CatZero special Fishmongers' Company edition by Emma Mathias

Issue NC12 Special edition

‘REEL’ FUTURES

London trip shines a light on careers within the seafood industry for young people Our news issues are kindly funded entirely by a private donation from the Hawerby Trust

www.catzero.org

Southbound

Broadening Horizons

AFTER schools had closed their doors for the summer, a group of young people from Grimsby began a potentially life-changing journey, supported by the Fishmongers’ Company, when they embarked upon a unique 8-day sailing voyage. The trip offered the opportunity to learn about the wider seafood industry and the jobs and exciting careers available across the sector, which they would then be able to apply to the real world of their home town. The early sail from Grimsby began with the town’s MP, Lia Nici, and the Mayor of the Borough of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor David Hasthorpe, waving off the group from the quayside. Skippered by CatZero Director of Sailing Danny Watson, the Challenge yacht then ventured down to the Thames

before heading upriver to St Katharine Docks. After settling in to their London base, the participants met again with MP Lia Nici and the Rt Hon Therese Coffey, Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions. Dr Coffey chatted to the group and members of the CatZero team about the charity and how the young people were benefiting from the opportunity. The visit by the Secretary of State also offered the chance for a brief discussion about developing the charity’s work across the Humber region and sharing good practice with other organisations. Following on, the group were hosted by their supporters, the Fishmongers’ Company, who took them to Billingsgate Fish Market and the Seafood School, also in Billingsgate. The young people were The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire ‘waves off’ the Fishmongers’ Company sail to London.

Chef Simon Boyle, left, who began Brigade restaurant and the Beyond Food charity. Centre, CatZero participants enjoy eating a meal by Beyond Food at Brigade, London.

Young people on the trip thoroughly enjoyed being shown around by hosts from the Fishmongers’ Company.

given an introduction to the fish market and spoke to several people working there, who described how they came to be in the business. Later, they were taken to the Seafood School and given a 2.5-hour cooking lesson, where they learnt how to cook sea bass, prawns and squid – they had a professional cooking experience where they were taught how to cook fish properly. The day finished with a trip to the fabulous Brigade Bar and Kitchen, where everyone ate food prepared by staff learning their trade with Beyond Food. The restaurant, together with the Beyond Food Foundation, were started by chef Simon Boyle and was built a social purpose, helping vulnerable people and those that have fallen on hard times with training opportunities.

L-R CatZero’s Danny Watson and Sean Cahill, Wynne Griffiths of the Hawerby Trust, Lia Nici MP and the Rt Hon Therese Coffey.

CatZero programme manager Pete Tighe said: “We were very lucky to have been invited by the Fishmongers’ Company to see around these significant seafood industry locations and the experience will give the participants a unique insight into future careers within the sector.” Sean Cahill, also a programme manager with CatZero, said: “In addition to highlighting the importance of the seafood sector to the local economy, the visit also showed the importance of seafood to the national economy. It also gave an opportunity to broaden the horizons of the young people beyond Grimsby, by visiting London and Portsmouth - some of the participants haven’t been much beyond the town. The young people are taking part in a programme to tackle youth unemployment. The one-year programme delivered by CatZero is designed for marginalised young people under the age of 25 to experience a whole range of motivational activities which will ultimately help to remove any barriers to sustainable education and employment. CatZero offers a bespoke programme of activities designed to address underlying issues and to identify the things which are holding a young person back. The participants are referred either through schools, external agencies, CatZero’s Full Families programme or they are self referrals.

News

A spotlight on fishing heritage

RETURNING to Grimsby after their inspiring and informative voyage to London, CatZero’s Fishmongers’ Company sail participants topped off their new-found knowledge with a trip to Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre. The group met with North East Lincolnshire’s Mayor, Councillor David Hasthorpe, and CatZero programme manager Pete Tighe for a tour around the museum and nearby former fishing trawler, the famous MFV Ross Tiger. The award-winning centre was the perfect spot to show the teenagers the history of their town’s fishing industry as they walked through mock-ups of 1950s-style streets, an Arctic fishing journey and the Freeman Arms pub! The tour gave everyone the chance to learn about one of the world’s most perilous jobs, tying it in with what they have already learned by visiting with the Fishmongers’ Company in the capital. It was also a great opportunity for Cllr Hasthorpe, who chose CatZero as one of the three charities Image: NELC to support during

Image: NELC

his tenure, to hear about the London sail and visit and for the group to feed back on what they had learnt overall. Pete said: “They were all very interested in listening to the guides on the Ross Tiger and their true life tales of different times. An inspirational visit capturing imaginations and offering thoughts for the future.” Grimsby’s unique, award-winning Fishing Heritage Centre transports visitors back to the 1950s, explaining the journey of a trawler crew member through crafted sets, sounds and smells. The tour takes in the town during this time, and how people working in the fishing industry would have lived. Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre shines a light on the industry and an interesting period in the town’s history. It is the ideal place for people of all ages to take in the area’s past, and our participants are certain to have taken further knowledge of their home town’s heritage away with them.

Links

Employment high on the agenda during seafood sector sail LEADING figures from the Grimsby area seafood sector participated in an evening sail during the summer, with CatZero’s Danny Watson at the helm. They were accompanied by the organisation’s Director of Operations Dave Bertholini, Programme Manager Sean Cahill and several CatZero sailing crew.

Senior team members engaged many of the seafood industry guests in discussions about the use of the yacht across the organisation’s programmes in addition to further details on how plans to help CatZero participants into the workplace will be fully supported by an experienced team.

The sector group were invited to learn more about CatZero’s service to match work-ready people already engaging with the organisation to employment vacancies within businesses across the Humber region.

Programme Manager Sean said: “ This is an important time for the Humber region which, for the first time, there are more employment opportunities than people to fill them.

The CatZero team were joined on the challenge yacht by representatives from Orsted, Flat Fish, New England Seafood, Grimsby Fish Merchants Association, former CEO of Young’s Seafood Wynne Griffiths and North East Lincolnshire Council Leader Phillip Jackson. Before the yacht departed for a two-hour sail on a suitably windy Humber Estuary, the group were joined for a short visit by MP for Great Grimsby Lia Nici.

For businesses, the area and community to succeed the many barriers facing the unemployed population need to be addressed. Echoing the recent words of the Rt Hon Therese Coffey, getting a job isn’t always the priority for some people - housing, debts or family issues could be barriers to them seeking employment and opportunities for the future. CatZero is here to help people address these issues and support our participants into education, work and, ultimately, employment.”

Case Study

Painting a bright new future

FOR the last three years, aspiring artist Lisa Jackson has been involved with CatZero, whether through the successful Lone Parent programme or through ongoing support provided by the organisation as part of the ‘Once CatZero, Always CatZero’ ethos. Earlier this year, Lisa succeeded in acquiring work at Young’s Seafood and is enjoying another new chapter in her life. Originally from the south west of the UK, Lisa studied for a number of years at art school. She later became unemployed, making a huge dent in her confidence and self-belief. Signposted to CatZero by the JobCentre, Lisa was contacted by delivery officer Neil, who supported her throughout the programme. Lisa said: “I went on a number of courses, including first aid, and built confidence through this and the activities that were available to me. “I did an evening sail on the yacht, played badminton, tried my hand at boxing and did indoor rock climbing. It was a completely new challenge for me but the whole experience built my confidence no end.” After completing the programme, Lisa was filled with renewed hope and set about finding a job that would pay her enough so that she could comfortably pay her bills - and also buy a few much-needed art supplies!

In the early summer, 2021, Lisa found work through the JobCentre with Young’s Seafood and is proud of what she has achieved to date. She feels encouraged by the team with whom she is working and pleased that she can now support herself - something which is very important to her. Lisa continued: “CatZero isn’t just about courses and paperwork - it’s about people’s lives. They even helped me when I needed to move home! “The team help to find the barriers which are stopping people from succeeding and guide us in the direction of what we want from our own futures.” In Lisa’s case, she is passionate about her art, something Neil and the CatZero team continue to champion. Lisa would love a career in the art world. “CatZero has made such a big difference to me. Even though I am no longer on the programme, I still feel that I am a part of it and I can call up for support whenever I need it, and that’s really comforting.”

Funding Focus

Former seafood CEO continues ongoing support of charity Former Chief Executive of Young’s Seafood, Wynne Griffiths CBE, explains his involvement with CatZero and why he has been a loyal supporter for the last decade ... “I have been involved with seafood since the late Eighties, buying out Young’s and building it up into one of the most successful UK-owned seafood businesses. During my work, I saw a number of charities focused on developing youth and education opportunities across the region. I first became involved with the idea that was CatZero when Young’s became a Team Partner to the Hull and Humber entry in the 07-08 Round the World Clipper Race. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston - the first man to sail solo, non-stop, around the world - instigated the race, which continues today. Involved in the challenge were Dave Bertholini, Jim Dick and Danny Watson, who together decided that sailing could be a great way to help develop young people across the Humber. Almost 14 years later, CatZero, as it became known, runs a number of highly successful programmes across the region and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019. The name CatZero came from the Lloyds Register of Shipping; if you are registered as a ‘Category Zero’, you are clear to go anywhere in the world, and that is what we hope for the participants of the organisation. The reason I committed to CatZero is their approach, particularly with young people. They treat each participant as an individual and try to identify barriers preventing them from moving forward. A lot of organisations process people through fixed methods, giving them a certificate after a couple of weeks, but CatZero programmes take an holistic approach and look at individual needs and continuing support. A standard CatZero programme supports 12-14 young people for 12 weeks, finishing with sail to the north. There are no cigarettes, no alcohol, no computers - they

are simply working for each 4-hour ‘Watch’. Almost always, they become seasick and mutinous and Danny - a pro skipper - drops anchor and explains that there is no getting off and no turning back! Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, now a To move forward, they patron of CatZero. have to work as a team. They then sail up towards Scotland somewhere, have a barbecue on the beach and a game of football. These 7-8 days are transformational and most return to the Humber region with a totally different perspective. An underestimated benefit, which I am keen on, is that these participants have a healthy diet and learn to cook their own food - three meals a day. Given their backgrounds and history, this is not usual for them. CatZero achieves a high success rate, with 65 per cent of participants going into education, training or jobs. That is measured by Price Waterhouse, 12 months after participants have completed the programme. These are the highest success rates I have seen in my career, which is why I continue to support the charity through my family trust, The Hawerby Trust. CatZero is now working on employment opportunities with the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Association, which is made up of CEOs of a number of major businesses and The Grimsby Fish Merchants Association. The proposal for the support of CatZero by the Fishmongers’ Company was made by members of the livery who are involved in the seafood industry. These included Andrew Marr (Marr family seafood businesses), Frank Flear OBE (Bluecrest/Seachill), Thomas Boyd OBE (The Boyd Line), Libby Woodhatch (Marin Trust Ltd) and myself. We are delighted that the idea has been developed and CatZero is one of the three charities the Fishmongers’ Company will be supporting for the next 18-months, including Beyond Food and Chefs in Schools.”

Great Grimsby

A place of trade and industry © Mirrorpix/Grimsby Telegraph

Grimsby Dock steam trawlers, circa 1940s. Below left, Grimsby Fish Market today and, below right, the old pontoon, circa 1940s. Heritage images copyright Grimsby Telegraph.

WITH its predominantly Scandinavian roots going back to the end of the 9th Century, the northern Lincolnshire town of Grimsby was awarded a Royal Charter by King John in 1201, one of the oldest charters of its kind in Britain. The area was a place of fishing and trade for hundreds of years but it was the arrival of the railway in the 19th Century that brought significant change to the town.

due to the amount of money they spent whilst on land. Taxis with their meters running stood outside local pubs, where they would wait for men to drink and be merry until they returned to sea with literally nothing in their pockets. Any cash left after their time on shore was considered bad luck, according to superstition - it all had to go!

For more than a century, the fishing port boomed as trawler owners enjoyed prosperity, employing thousands of men at sea. Thousands more men and women worked on shore, landing and processing the catch and servicing the huge trawler fleet. There was a time when workers had to jump from vessel to vessel just to reach the quayside, the dock was so packed full of fishing boats.

Grimsby quickly became the biggest fishing port in the world, with large areas of the town developed to support the thriving industry. As teenagers, men would walk onto the docks, following fathers, uncles or older brothers into a berth on board a Grimsby trawler or into work in one of the related industries. Fishermen were always regarded as casual labour, never employed by vessel owners, but signing on for each trip.

The area was incredibly prosperous with many fishermen dubbed ‘3-Day Millionaires’, so-called

Working for up to 23 days at a time, fishermen worked in some of the toughest conditions on Earth.

Above, the MFV Ross Tiger at Alexandra Dock. The dock was built as an extension to accommodate the large fishing fleet. The CatZero Challenge yacht looks stunning in the evening sunshine at Grimsby Docks, right, and the area’s ‘Kasbah’, below, which is currently undergoing a scheme of regeneration.

The mortality rate for a fisherman at the time was 14 times more than a coal miner. Starting with the Cod Wars between the UK and Iceland, the industry was in severe decline by the early 1980s. At the start of the next decade, most fishing boats had gone and the town began its descent into long-term socio-economic deprivation. High unemployment, intergenerational worklessness and family breakdowns have put areas of Grimsby within the top 30.2% of those considered most deprived in England. One of those is the East Marsh, once the beating heart of Grimsby’s fishing community. According to a survey carried out in 2020, 47% of children in the community live in poverty and the consequences of this are carried through into life expectations. Literacy levels, drug and alcohol use, school attendance and unemployment are major concerns.

Modern Grimsby, however, does have opportunities. More than 60 per cent of the seafood we eat in the UK passes through Grimsby and is processed in the town. A total of 40 seafood species from 30 different countries are consolidated in Grimsby. The town also has the chance to benefit from the developing renewables sector. There are potentially exciting times ahead for Grimsby and its communities, with employment possibilities in the traditional seafood sector (Grimsby Smoked Fish has PGI status), in addition to fish processing and renewables. To complete the success story, it is CatZero’s aim to help fill the gaps in skills and labour, which will only be achieved by engaging with those who, in the past, have been reluctant to work or have been unable to overcome barriers to work. To that end, CatZero is forging links with North East Lincolnshire’s major fish and food sector employers with the aim of securing sustainable work for our participants. We will be working in partnership with these employers to support people and families to deal with underlying issues that have been holding them back, hand-holding participants into work and continuing our support through those first difficult months. The fishing glory days of Great Grimsby are highly unlikely to return but there is a glimmer of hope that the town and its people will be once again rise to the top of their game as new industries and opportunities develop locally.

Funding Focus

Proud partners of CatZero SINCE 2017, J. Marr (Seafoods) Ltd has been a staunch supporter of CatZero. With its logo proudly displayed on the side of the CatZero yacht, Marr Seafoods’ continued funding has allowed the business to invest in the futures of young people across the Hull area, previously through a Marr NEETS (young people not in education, employment or training) programme, and more recently by supporting CatZero’s Full Families programme. Full Families allows our organisation to connect with and support families by identifying issues which are causing problems, assisting them to access the help they need to resolve these issues. The informal and positive approach is giving confidence to people engaging with the programme and also those hearing about our support within local communities. Families reaching crisis point, for any number of reasons, can be referred to CatZero through a wide variety of professionals and organisations, though a large percentage are self referrals. While the Covid-19 pandemic made it difficult to engage face-to-face, our support continued remotely and several members of our families have since moved into education or training. Once such person is Liam Greenham, a 16-year-old from Hull who has been successful with an apprenticeship in the city. Supported by the Hull Full Families team, Liam initially applied for a month of paid experience with a local organisation. The team assisted with the CV and supported Liam’s application, which he undertook during August. Liam said: “It has given me a good idea of work life. Since then, I have been successful in getting a fulltime, 2-year apprenticeship where I will be trained

as a joiner making modular buildings and portacabins. “The whole experience has given me confidence and pushed me onto the right path.” Hull Full Families Delivery Officer David Andrews finished: “We are really proud of Liam and have been impressed by his hard work and perseverance.”

Liam Greenham, who has started a 2-year apprenticeship since participating with Full Families.

Without funding from organisations such as J. Marr (Seafoods) Ltd, young people, like Liam, and their families wouldn’t have the opportunity to achieve their goals. The bespoke, individualistic approach to each and every person working with CatZero’s Full Families is quite unique and enables us to tailor our support according to their needs. CatZero has previously worked with families across the Humber region in crisis due to issues such as mental health, physical health problems, debts, food poverty, bereavement, unemployment and drugs. Grimsby Full Families – implemented by CatZero and CPO - has recently been recognised, and externally evaluated by, Children’s Services specialist, Lesley Wilkinson MBE. The work that is carried out in Hull has been designed on the good practice of the Grimsby Programme.

Case Study

Whole family succeeds in moving forward together “CATZERO has done so much for me and my family; the team has literally given us our lives back.” The words of single dad-of-two John Bennett who, in just one sentence, sums up what CatZero means to him and his sons Jonny and Ciaran. While he has no regrets about being a stay-at-home dad, the former HGV driver had become isolated and had to live with a past when trouble had crossed his path. He was worried about his future and the impact previous mistakes and his lack of confidence would have on him finding work. This is a far cry from where the dad and his boys were when John agreed to come onto our Lone Parents’ Programme almost three years ago. This ultimately led to the whole family being supported as a family on the CatZero Full Families programme. “I didn’t find it easy to talk to people and spending time with others wasn’t something I was good at doing. I was in a dark place,” he recalled. Despite his fears, and being the only man on the course, John threw himself into the Lone Parents’ programme and the result speaks for itself. After almost two decades of unemployment, during which he raised his two sons alone, John is proud to have been working at his port-side job for a year. His son Ciaran recently joined him at the company and he has had the pleasure of training him for his new role. Meanwhile, John’s 17-year-old son Jonny recently found work as a general labourer at Grimsby Fish Market. His longterm goal is to go into the Royal Navy, something he has been pursuing for a

Ciaran recently joined Dad, John, at work while younger son Jonny, below left on a CatZero sail, is working at Grimsby Fish Market.

while, but he is proud to have found work locally and is relishing the opportunity. He said: “I gained so much confidence with CatZero. I don’t think I would have gone for this job without them. “A friend of mine is working at the fish market and told me about the job, so I went for it. It’s good!” Jonny previously took part in a summer programme and is currently a participant on the Youth Futures Programme (YFF). He also joined CatZero’s special 10th anniversary sail from Brixham to Grimsby. The group were able to visit the famous Brixham Fish Market as a part of this trip – a great insight into seafood markets and very helpful for Jonny’s current employment. Overall, the results have been amazing – this is the best the Bennett family could have hoped for. “We know that CatZero are there for us if we need them - we know they are always around if we need support,” added John. “Work is fine, life is much better, and we have one organisation to thank for all of this. My boys talk of how proud they are of me, and to hear that means the world.”

About CatZero Support us CatZero is very cost effective in comparison to any other service and has consistent, excellent results. We rely on possible funding streams to enable our critical work to take place. It costs £3,500 per person to deliver each life-changing programme.

Become a partner CatZero was established to help make a difference to the lives of vulnerable people across the Humber region, with a focus on its deprived communities. The charity’s aim is to break down barriers to employment, training, education and personal development by forging relationships built on mutual trust, with the commitment of the participants. Our participants go through a process of multineeds assessment to create a bespoke personal development plan which is fully owned by each individual taking part on our programmes. Our goal is to break the cycle of deprivation and negativity. Our programmes include those for young people, families, the unemployed and Forces veterans. Most of these offer the opportunity for participants to sail the charity’s challenge-class yacht, the CatZero, an intense team building and learning experience which tests the personal development qualities, social disciplines, and self-control mechanisms gained through the programme, before progressing into education, training or employment. CatZero commitment is open-ended: at the end of main programme delivery, our Progressions Team continue to support participants and families, facilitating entry into training and employment, capitalising on links with employers and training providers to maximise sustainable outcomes. CatZero has helped more than 2,500 people and has a programme retention of 95%. A positive outcome has been achieved by 65% of our participants.

Once CatZero, Always CatZero.

Our programme partners are top level professional and corporate supporters who provide funding for programmes. They are offered fantastic opportunities in return, including yacht and media branding, programme involvement, corporate sail and land team building and/or hospitality packages tailored to different requests.

Sponsor a young person At £3,500 per participant, you could provide a truly life-changing opportunity for a young person. Could you be a sponsor and a mentor?

Be a friend Grants, fundraising, discounted services, individual fundraisers. Our friends are recognised on our website and are welcome to support participants on our programmes.

To discuss the above opportunities further, please email: sean@catzero.org

Donate For direct donations, visit www.catzero.org/supportus and click the DONATE NOW link.

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