Well, summer is over and the tans are starting to fade already, so that means one thing for so many Public Sector Caterers. Yes, I’m talking about the start of a new year - be that in academic, school or financial terms.
And so the pressure is on to open up with fresh ideas and find new ways to innovate and delight our customers. The challenges we face are still substantial and the cost-of-living crisis continues, so we are going to have to, yet again, pull rabbits out of hats.
That being the case, we will be keeping the pressure up on ministers and the purse-string holders to put the ‘public plate’ front and centre of decision making to prevent other critical services being damaged.
All of this makes me immediately think we need to stick together and where better than the Public Sector Catering Expo, which is taking place this year across two days on the 31st October and the 1st of November at the NAEC Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.
The Expo is a free-to-attend event and aims to give all of us working in public sector catering the opportunity to come together, to hear from industry greats, watch live demonstrations and meet suppliers and partners – and all under one roof.
Key decision makers, influencers and front-line staff will all be there so don’t miss out. If you need inspiration to power on, book today and don’t miss out. I hope to see you all there, making this a bumper industry event.
And it remains key that we all work together to ensure our voice is not lost in the current chaos. We are building up to and heading towards a general election in either the short or medium term - who knows when.
But what is key, is that public plates are at the forefront of politicians minds. Challenge your local candidates or current MPs, if you get the opportunity, about how they will help you to deliver the services and products you daily serve up to keep students, patients, people in care homes, people at home who receive meals on wheels, prisoners and even our armed forces well fed and hydrated.
Investment in public food prevents higher costs to services such as the NHS and social care and policymakers need to wake up to both the nutritional benefits but also the social ones of a well fed nation.
Don’t let a rosette-wearing hopeful MP or councillor who comes to your door leave without being somewhat the wiser from your first-hand experience and knowledge of how you and your colleagues literally save lives, enhance education outcomes, share a daily welcome or social welfare check or keep people out of hospital.
Public food counts and it’s the job of all of us to shout about that, so happy hollering.
