But brighter days are coming and we have cause, as public sector caterers, for great joy as we are heading fast now towards the Public Sector Catering Awards.
I, along with many of our industry’s great and good, have just finished the judging process of the bumper crop of entries for this year’s awards. I have to say I was blown away by the sheer volume this year. So well done, and a huge thank you to all of you who have nominated your teams, colleagues and peers.
I can tell you that we have some amazing folks shortlisted and the awards evening is going to be a spectacular event. I am so excited and cannot wait to see many of you in all your finery for the dinner up in London.
As I write this I have been following the chair of LACA, Anita Brown, as she gave evidence to the Lords committee looking at Food, Diet and Obesity. Anita was right on the money in explaining the importance of school meals and the beneficial effect that caterers have on the lives of so many.
I was really impressed by her calm and factual presentation. The Lords were clearly interested and motivated by Anita’s evidence. Let’s hope they are able to steer government and effect lasting change to ensure that school food is at the heart of our nation’s health and wellbeing agenda.
Our alliance covers so many areas of public food and I am always thrilled to see such proactive work on the part of all our member associations. Later in March many public sector caterers will be present at an event hosted by Love British Food on a farm visit, focusing on how we can get more British food onto public plates.
We have been working with the NFU for several years now and it’s great to see the farming community moving more towards producing directly for caterers as well as the retail markets.
Initiatives such as these drive change and bring us all closer together, with a greater understanding and commitment to delivering great food to our nation.
It might be a dingy and dark season right now, but boy-oh-boy does the work keep rocking on in public sector catering.
Good luck to all those runners and riders up for one of the PSC Awards, and I look forward to celebrating with all the winners up in the smoke in April.
