With the title ‘Challenging the new normal in care catering’, the NACC is keen to ensure that members are well-placed to emerge from the current cost of living crisis stronger and better prepared.
As a result, this year sees some changes to the structure of the Forum, which organisers hope will provide a tailored training event for professionals providing catering and related services in the care sector.
As well as the keynote speeches from the national chair Sue Cawthray, Baroness Barker and NACC ambassadors Chris and Jayne Roberts, the two-day event will also see a range of topical sessions.
Care England’s Fraser Rickatson will discuss how we can achieve meaningful integration across the health and social care sector, which will neatly be followed by a presentation from Angeliki Papadiki, a senior lecturer in nutrition, on why the meals on wheels service is so important - not only to recipients, but also to their local communities.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) recently launched the third edition of its Nutrition and Hydration Digest and a bespoke version is in preparation for the care sector. Dietitians Helen Ream and Alison Smith will be updating delegates on the changes.
Other sessions will include Professor Jane Ogden exploring the many roles food has in our relationship building and emotional wellbeing. Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse will discuss how Natasha’s Law has awakened awareness of food allergies and how the issue can be addressed through an operational approach.
To complement the sessions, there are a series of workshops available covering nutrition, talking mats and training opportunities via industry experts Connect2Care and the HIT Chef Academy, who will also explore the correlation between mental health, wellbeing and what we eat.
Forum chair Phil Raynsford will talk about how, as managers and leaders, delegates can help teams realise their true potential in an increasingly challenging environment.
The exhibition area will feature an array of suppliers to the care catering sector as well as cooking demonstrations over both days. These include Chris Pickard, Care Chef of the Year 2022, and Steve Munkley, head judge of the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition.
Fellow judge and executive chef at Unilever Foodservice, Alex Hall, and Oak House Residential’s Preston Walker will also be presenting live sessions. Further demonstrations are planned.
The Forum will culminate in the Gala Dinners and Awards, where the NACC Care Chef of the Year will be announced, as well as awards to recognise teams and individuals who have excelled over the past year.
Sue Cawthray, chair of the NACC, said: “This has been a difficult period for everyone involved in care catering, but we need to continue to work together using our collective expertise and learn from each other’s ideas and successes.
“This year’s forum has been designed to encourage everyone to get involved and to share their experiences, as well as take away ideas and learn from experts and peers, so we can continue to strive to provide services that enrich the lives of the people we provide services to. It is still not too late to book, so please come and join us in Nottingham.”