21 JANUARY 2026
Pupils from Lakeside School have presented wagamama with the WG Futures Employer Award, celebrating the company’s dedication to inclusive workplace cultures and environments that both celebrate neurodiversity and support neurodiverse young people as they prepare for future careers.
Lakeside School is the latest school to partner with a local wagamama restaurant and was invited to present the award at the newest restaurant on Edge Lane, where pupils met team members, learned interesting facts about foods and flavours on the menu, and explored different career paths available.
Vicky Size, Head Teacher of Lakeside School, commented:
“We are incredibly proud to present wagamama with the Futures Employer Award. Their commitment to understanding and embracing neurodiversity has made a real difference to our pupils here at Lakeside and schools across Witherslack Group. Seeing our neurodivergent children and young people engage with professional partnerships like this demonstrates what’s possible when employers genuinely invest in inclusive, accessible futures where every young person can thrive.”
Tracey Middleton, General Manager of wagamama Liverpool Edge Lane, commented:
“It was such a great morning hosting the school visit. Myself and the team loved every single minute of it. It reminded me why I chose to work in hospitality. Seeing how engaged everyone was brought the biggest of smiles to my face.”
“I really look forward to working more with Witherslack Group and getting the other Liverpool restaurants involved!”
To receive the award, over the last 18 months, wagamama has facilitated Future Ambassador sessions, workshops that delve into individual journeys to success, providing a look at diverse experiences and the opportunities they can offer. Additionally, their commitment extends to hosting children and young through our Work Inspiration programme, offering them hands-on experiences in a range of roles as well as valuable mentorship opportunities.
Through the Futures programme, our schools continue to witness powerful success stories. Remarkably, 100 per cent of school leavers move directly into further education, employment, or training , a striking contrast to the national picture, where almost one million young people are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET) according to Office of National Statistics report published in November 2025.
Learn more about Futures.
