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Marking a major step in the company’s commitment to building the most inclusive workplace culture in hospitality, BaxterStorey has partnered with leading charity Epilepsy Action, to become the first UK foodservice business to introduce Epilepsy Champions across its operations.
As part of the collaboration, 24 team members from across BaxterStorey’s UK business have been trained as Epilepsy Champions, equipped to provide guidance, raise awareness and offer support to colleagues living with epilepsy or supporting someone who does. The initiative marks a first for the foodservice sector and strengthens BaxterStorey’s ongoing focus on equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I).
Jo Gater joined BaxterStorey three years ago as Chef Manager at Scotland’s Rural College Craibstone campus, serving up to 300 customers a day.
Gater has lived with epilepsy since early childhood. From convulsions as a toddler to absence and tonic-clonic seizures as a teenager, epilepsy has been a constant thread in her life. Medication now helps control her seizures, but the condition still shapes her day-to-day experience.
She said: “It makes a huge difference to know you can talk openly, without judgement. Menopause and epilepsy together can be overwhelming, but when your company recognises that and offers support, it helps you keep going.”
She is also clear about the importance of education and understanding and welcomed the caterer’s commitment to training epilepsy champions.
Gater added: “There are over 50 types of seizures. There’s memory loss, there’s depression, there’s suicide linked to epilepsy. There needs to be more awareness. People need to know it’s not just seizures.”
The Epilepsy Champions completed a bespoke training programme developed by Epilepsy Action, covering practical knowledge of epilepsy, seizure management and how to create inclusive workplace environments where individuals with hidden disabilities can feel empowered. The programme also offers mandatory eLearning for all managers, with voluntary training for team members who wish to grow their knowledge and understanding.
Lyndsey Oliver, Head of ED&I at BaxterStorey, said: “We’re proud to be leading the way for the hospitality industry with our partnership with Epilepsy Action. Our people are the heart of our business, and creating an environment where everyone feels seen and supported is non-negotiable. Our 24 Epilepsy Champions will play a vital role in helping us embed inclusivity into our everyday culture.”
Simon Privett, Learning & Training Lead at Epilepsy Action said: “At Epilepsy Action, we believe that people with epilepsy should be supported to live a life without limits — and that includes in the workplace. With employment rates for people with epilepsy still worryingly low, it’s inspiring to see BaxterStorey taking such a proactive and meaningful approach. From the moment they reached out to us, it was clear that BaxterStorey was committed to developing a robust training programme to upskill their teams, empower their managers, and establish Epilepsy Champions to provide dedicated support for colleagues with epilepsy.”
The partnership forms part of BaxterStorey’s wider ED&I strategy, which already includes mental health first aiders, menopause champions, and inclusive leadership training.
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