Alan Titchmarsh, who is an ambassador to the foundation, said: “If ever you have doubts about the efficacy of whether this is worthwhile then check out the people here who have been trained to make furniture, to build houses, the effects of global warming and what we can do about it.
“They do it, they don’t talk about it. You can have as many conferences as you want but they don’t achieve anything. The King’s Foundation does, it achieves things.”
He said he had earlier chatted to Beckham about gardening, who had explained that his hands were covered in scratches from planting roses in his garden.
“Yes, but he’ll never get me to be as good as football as I can get him to be good at gardening. The main thing is that he is keen. He loves doing it. He’s discovered what I discovered at ten,’ he smiled.
Isabelle Pennington-Edmead, 27, from Warrington, won the Young Entrepreneur Award after graduating from The King’s Foundation Modern Artisan programme and has set up her own fashion label. She received her award from actress and model Sienna Miller.
She said: “It’s difficult for people like me from the background I come from to get that kind of training. Graduates struggle to find a job and that hands-on experience. It was a very unique course.
“The King has been so supportive and wants to help creatives and respects creatives and respects the fact that not everyone comes from a background where you have an automatic road into the industry. Without the Foundation I wouldn’t have had the stepping stones to do what I’ve done.”