Whitbread Expands Thrive Programme to Support Young People with Learning Disabilities

Whitbread, the UK’s largest hospitality company and owner of Premier Inn, has expanded its Thrive programme by launching a new training centre at Lincolnshire County Council’s InspireU campus. The initiative aims to provide young people with learning disabilities the skills, confidence, and experience they need to access meaningful employment in the hospitality industry.

The new facility — designed to be identical to a real Premier Inn hotel, complete with en-suite bedrooms, a reception area, corridor and linen room — gives learners hands-on experience in a genuine hospitality environment. It forms part of Whitbread’s wider mission to tackle the disability employment gap through practical, employer-led initiatives that deliver real-world impact.

A Collaborative Approach to Inclusion

Developed in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council, the training centre will be shared on a rota basis by local special schools, colleges and adult services, ensuring broad accessibility across the county. By uniting educators, job coaches, and local authorities, the programme presents a replicable model of inclusive employment that Whitbread hopes will inspire other businesses nationwide.

Rachel Howarth, Chief People Officer at Whitbread, who grew up in Lincolnshire, emphasised the project’s local significance:

“We couldn’t be more excited to open this new training centre in Lincolnshire. As someone who grew up here, I’m especially proud to see the county leading the way on inclusive employment. At Whitbread, we believe there should be no barriers to entry and no limits to ambition — and Thrive proves that when employers step up, real change happens.”

She added that fewer than 5% of people with learning disabilities are currently in paid employment, a statistic Whitbread aims to change by creating structured pathways into supported internships and permanent hotel roles.

Empowering Young People Through Work Experience

The Lincolnshire centre joins others established under the Thrive programme, including locations in Coventry, Oswestry and the Liverpool City Region. Together, they provide young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) a practical route into hospitality careers.

By 2026, Whitbread plans to create 100 supported internships each year, embedding inclusive recruitment into its long-term business strategy and setting a new benchmark for social responsibility within the hospitality sector.

Councillor Natalie Oliver, Lead Member for Children’s Services and Culture at Lincolnshire County Council, praised the initiative: “By giving young people with learning disabilities the chance to train in a real hotel environment, we are opening doors to opportunity and independence. It is a major step forward for inclusive education and employment in Lincolnshire.”

Driving Change Beyond Hospitality

The launch coincides with the UK Government’s efforts to reduce economic inactivity and improve employment outcomes for disabled people. Whitbread’s Thrive programme aligns with this agenda, proving that inclusive recruitment can be both socially impactful and commercially sustainable.

Part of Whitbread’s Force for Good sustainability framework, Thrive has already supported hundreds of young people into work at Premier Inn hotels and beyond. The company is also encouraging other employers to adopt similar initiatives, demonstrating that corporate responsibility and business success can go hand in hand.

As Whitbread continues to grow — with 86,000 rooms across the UK and a rapidly expanding footprint in Germany — the Lincolnshire training centre stands as a symbol of progress and partnership, showing that when business leads with purpose, communities thrive.