Butler to the stars offers free training to unemployed youths

Simeon can often be seen at shooting estates in Scotland, providing guests with meals

A butler who has served Pavarotti is offering to pass on his skills to 10 young unemployed people.

Simeon Rosset intends to give away £100,000 worth of training to candidates aged between 18 and 25 and from deprived communities.

Mr Rosset and his team aim to teach the students over a four-week course.

He says he wants to counter the predominance of "white, middle class men" in the butlering community, and prove the profession is open to anyone.

The successful candidates will also have their living costs covered for the duration of the course, and given help to find a job at its conclusion.

Mr Rosset told the BBC News website: "Becoming a butler is usually a long and expensive process and I just want to give people who otherwise wouldn't get the chance to do it. I want to give them the chance that I was given."

Mr Rosset, who now lives in Beith in North Ayrshire, grew up in a deprived area of Cliftonville in Kent. His father left the family home when he was young and he left school with almost no qualifications.

He got a job at the visitors' restaurant at Leeds Castle and was spotted by the head butler there, who took him under his wing when he was 18 and offered him training.

Mr Rosset has since travelled the world with his work, working for Kylie Minogue, Bono, prime ministers and Russian oligarchs. He now runs a butler school in Scotland.

He believes there are "a lot of snobs within the butlering community", with diversity an issue especially with butlers in private households.

He added: "There are a lot of people who seem to think you have to come from a privileged background.

"I just want to bring butlering back to basics and show that I can teach anyone who has got the passion to be a great butler.

"I've had established butlers say to me about other people - 'oh, they couldn't be a great butler because they are too common, or they are from a different ethnic background, or because they are a woman'.

"These are three ridiculous things to say - there is no reason why these people can't be butlers. I really want to prove to the entire world that people from any diverse background can make great butlers."

Mr Rosset is enlisting the help of rich clients who share his philanthropic vision to raise the required £100,000, which will cover the costs of staff, venues, living costs and equipment.

He hopes to run the course before Christmas, or early 2019, in Scotland.

Mr Rosset wants his prospective students to submit a two-minute video via social media on why they want to be a butler, their background and their ambitions, along with knowledge about the industry.

Simeon wants to help young people take their first steps as a butler.

After the course is complete, Mr Rosset plans to find jobs for the students either with him or with other butlers in roles such as footmen.

He describes the project as a cross beteween My Fair Lady, Downtown Abbey and Kingsman - a film about a young man struggling in life who is recruited to a secret spy agency where agents are notable for their sharp suits.

"It is that thing of the suit making the person," said Mr Rosset.

"It is true of a butler is well. When you put on that butler suit, you become the character. You become the butler."