GLL (Greenwich Leisure) has been awarded £10,000 after being crowned London’s best large sized employer for practical learning.

GLL was awarded the honour after winning the regional heats of the Edge Employer Award; a joint Jamie Oliver and Simon Woodroffe-backed initiative to recognise the best employers in England offering practical learning opportunities to 14- to 25-year-olds.

GLL will now go head-to-head with eight other large-sized organisations for the chance to be recognised as the country’s best practical learning employer and receive a £200,000 investment.

Mark Sesnan, managing director of GLL, said: “We are delighted to have won an Edge Employer Award. At GLL we believe that learning through hands-on experience is the only way to develop high quality and focused people.

“Through our trainee manager scheme and our Recreation Assistant Academy we have used practical learning as a key way to bridge the skills gap and create highly skilled employees.”

Simon Woodroffe, Edge supporter and Founder of Yo! Sushi, said: “Congratulations to GLL for winning an Edge Employer Award. Most people really discover what they love and what they’re good at by actually doing it. It is great that Greenwich Leisure is committed to giving young people these opportunities.”

Jamie Oliver, a supporter of the Edge Employer Awards added: "The Edge Employer Awards is a brilliant competition and the winning organisations are doing an outstanding job, I hope other organisations will be inspired to follow in their footsteps.”

All regional winners will receive their trophy and prize at the Edge Employer Awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate, in London, 1 November, at which the four national winners are to be announced. Jamie Oliver and Simon Woodroffe will both attend the ceremony.