As part of his role, Radcliffe explores how NHS catering teams can reduce their carbon emissions, which is vital given that 6% of all NHS emissions are as a result of catering and associated activities. A main element is the aim to remove single-use products, including but not limited to single-use plastics.
To align with these goals, Lockhart Catering Equipment supplied NHS National Chef of the Year finalists with a bespoke NHS-branded version of their Brigade Chefs Against Plastic Waste (CAPW) recycled chef jacket as part of their role sponsoring the competition.
Radcliffe said: “It’s such a great idea. You see chefs in the kitchen drinking bottles of water, and what Lockhart have done is enable that product to be used to turn back into a jacket that they will wear every single day. And that is the circular economy we want to see.
“Lockhart’s campaign is about Chefs Against Plastic Waste, which is fantastic because that’s exactly what they’re doing. I’ve got the jackets. They’re breathable, they’re so nice to wear, they’re comfortable, and the colour is fantastic with the NHS blue in there. It’s really something to raise awareness.”
The CAPW workwear is made by crushing and melting recycled PET plastic, before passing it through small holes to create thin strands. These strands are then stretched and cooled to create polyester fibres which are blended with cotton (65% polyester and 35% cotton) to combine the best of both materials.
Simon Britten, head of marketing at Lockhart Catering Equipment, added: “Workwear may not be the first point of call when operators are considering how to reduce their environmental impact, however our Chefs Against Plastic Waste range brings it to the fore.
“We’ve ethically sourced PET plastic and saved it from landfill by transforming it into this new product. The process behind the creation of these jackets uses less energy than producing virgin polyester, yet reaps all the benefits of the material, including improved longevity to further prolong product life.”
To watch Lockhart Catering Equipment’s full video interview with Tim Radcliffe, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=720HMRaDgYA.