Meet Cameron: a young and spirited sous chef with a lust for life. Not many years ago, the hope and promise that Cameron exudes today, didn’t shine so brightly – but an encounter with youth homelessness charity Centrepoint changed all that. When Cameron was 15 years old, a family breakdown threw his life off course and as a teenager with little support, his challenges soon became impossible to navigate alone. With no income, stable home or emotional support, Cameron's situation was critical, and with the help of his auntie, he was referred to Centrepoint in Barnsley. 

A combination of key worker support and personal resilience put Cameron back on his feet. He pursued his love of cooking and found full-time work as a chef, and last year he won Centrepoint’s 2021 Career Progression Award. “The support that is available at Centrepoint is very impressive,” he says. “You wouldn’t think you would be able to get that kind of help or reassurance when you are at rock bottom.” 

We invited Cameron to cook his favourite festive dish in the Selfridges kitchen and meet some of our chefs.