British basketball’s most successful club has joined forces with an award-winning college to give sports fans an exciting taste of the future.
Newcastle Eagles and Newcastle College have rubber-stamped a unique partnership that will deliver match night catering at the brand new Eagles Community Arena.
Tomorrow’s mouthwatering clash between the title challenging hosts and old foes Plymouth Raiders is the first fixture at the state-of-the-art venue off Scotswood Road.
And students from Newcastle College’s School of Hospitality and Tourism will be centre stage with a full house expecting the off-court refreshments to match the on-court action.
Phillip Ho, a Level 2 Professional Cookery student, said: “I’m really excited to be catering the first Eagles game in the new stadium.
“I’ve never done an event this big before but I feel ready for the challenge.
“My course is great because we learn all of the skills and techniques in the classroom and can then put them into practice with work experience opportunities like this one.”
Newcastle College’s School of Hospitality and Tourism has been named a Centre of Excellence for food, beverage, patisserie and confectionary after gaining gold accreditation across all four areas.
And Newcastle Eagles’ owner Paul Blake added: “As a club we pride ourselves on achieving the highest standards on the court. Partnering with Newcastle College means we can aspire to reach the same level off it.
“So many elements go into making the matchnight experience the best it can possibly be. The new Eagles Community Arena offers us the platform to take that experience to the next level but we have to ensure that we get everything right.
“Having worked alongside Newcastle College and their fantastic staff and students for many years now I have no doubt that our catering is in the safest of hands.
“As the name of our new venue suggests we are determined to sit at the very heart of the local community and it makes absolute sense to work with our friends and neighbours down the road.”
Corporate guests will begin arriving at the ECA from 6pm before doors open to the general public from 6.30pm. And Newcastle College’s team of aspiring catering professionals will gain invaluable experience co-hosting a landmark event on Tyneside.
Marc McPake, Director of Business Partnerships at Newcastle College, said: “We’ve enjoyed a brilliant relationship with the Eagles for a long time and this new chapter of our partnership presents some fantastic opportunities for our students in both hospitality and sport.
“It is just one example of the way in which we work with local employers in our community to help shape the courses we offer and the experiences of our students.
“I hope that as we go forward we can work together towards our goal of widening community participation in education and sport.”
