A FAMILY ice cream firm founded from adversity is set to take on its first apprentices as it continues to grow.

Archers Jersey Ice Cream is working with Foundation for Jobs to appoint two food manufacturing apprentices at its base near Darlington.

John and Susan Archer and their three children started Archers Jersey Ice Cream in 2002 after losing the original herd of Holstein Friesians to Foot and Mouth.

They started milking Jersey cows at their New Moor Farm at Walworth Gate and now have parlours at seven further locations in the North of England in Redcar, Liverpool, The Wirral, Newcastle, Richmond, Northallerton and Yarm.

The two apprentices at Darlington are in addition to a further two customer service apprentices they will take on at their Redcar parlour.

The firm is already in the process of recruiting an agricultural apprentice at Darlington.

Support to take on the Darlington apprentices is being provided by Foundation for Jobs, the national award winning partnership between The Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership.

Since it was launched two years ago, in a bid to address growing youth unemployment and its root causes, Foundation for Jobs has helped businesses create more than 240 new apprenticeship opportunities for young people in Darlington.

Many of these firms were small businesses which had never taken on an apprentice before.

Mrs Archer said: “This is the first time we have taken on apprentices.

"I think it is both a great opportunity for our business to develop a good workforce for the future and to offer important opportunities to young people.

“I am very much for skills learning in addition to academic study and we want young people to progress through the business in the areas of farming, ice cream manufacture and customer service.”

This week marks National Apprenticeship Week, which aims to celebrate Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Anyone wishing to apply for the apprenticeship vacancies at Archers in Darlington should contact suzanne.clark@darlington.gov.uk