How a bus for the homeless is helping drive hospitality sector recruitment
30 Aug 2019
Through its various recruitment drives, Manchester Hoteliers’ Association (MHA) has linked with the Embassy Bus, a homeless shelter for up to 14 people stationed in Salford
So far MHA has recruited two people, who live or have lived in the Embassy Bus, into both full and part time roles in the hospitality sector across the region. This includes the Chancellors Hotel, Manchester and the Hilton Hotel near Deansgate.
Former youth worker, Sid Williams, bought the bus and now dedicates his time to running it and providing temporary accommodation and support into permanent homes and full time employment.
It offers over 4,000 nights’ sleep for the homeless over the course of one year and acts as a lifeline for those in the city that need rest, support and a route back into a community.
MHA member and Chancellors General Manager Fiona Lockyer, speaking during a visit to the Embassy Bus, said: “When Sid Williams came to MHA and introduced us to Embassy Bus, it completely resonated with me because homelessness can be a turn of the card, where somebody has either made a wrong choice or just got unlucky.
“Through MHA’s partnership with Embassy, we find people who perhaps haven’t considered hospitality, but have got a lot to give. One of our core objectives is to help the membership find good people and we can find them through avenues that are less than typical; I call it social responsibility recruitment.
“There is a good fit because you’ve got good people who have been dealt a bad card and you’ve got employers who have opportunities and need to recruit.
“We have had a 100% success rate and have never been let down, because the people being recruited understand the importance of work. They have come in and embraced the workplace, and they leave us with a set of skills, a new-found confidence and a bit of credibility.”
The diversification of recruitment to plug the skills gap in the hospitality industry is one of MHA’s most critical four strategic initiatives. The others include conferences and economic impact, sustainability and environmental support.
Sid Williams, founder of Embassy, said: “Working with MHA creates the sort of scenario where everybody wins.
“It’s not just any job, it’s an opportunity and when I see them, they are more confident because they are no longer just an end receiver of aid, they’re guys that are giving back, working and inputting into the community again.
“I suppose it’s an obvious correlation, we do beds and hoteliers do beds. I’m hoping it’s the beginning of a really positive relationship with the MHA.”