Nicholas Higson
From the age of 14, Nick Higson battled with alcohol addiction. However, following his enrolment in a catering course, he has completely turned his life around, achieving a full-time job and his third year of total abstinence, and catering at the Conservative Party Conference and the House of Commons. In addition, he is one of the first students in the UK to pass a new Performance Excellence qualification for the Catering and Hospitality sector.
After admitting himself to the Burton Addiction Centre, Nick was taken on as a volunteer commis chef at Langan’s Tea Rooms, a café designed to help recovering addicts back into work. He proved to be such an integral part of the team there that he was later given a full-time job.
During his time at Langan’s, Nick has been studying on a work-based professional cookery qualification with Burton and South Derbyshire College. He has achieved a range of high-profile successes, including catering for the first Recovery Festival. Nick has also baked cakes for VIPs such as Russell Brand, Iain Duncan Smith and a Football League chairman
Nick’s nominator, Andrew Thompson, said: “Nick is a great example of how learning can transform lives. He is extremely deserving of all the success he has achieved. The hard work and commitment he has put in has really paid off.”
Nick said, “Working at Langan’s and taking catering courses has opened doors for me. I am unrecognisable as the man I was a few years ago; learning a new trade at my age has made me realise that I can do anything. The world’s my oyster.”