Scottish Craft Butchers Training Awards winners announced

Now in its second year, the awards - sponsored by Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) Scotch Butchers Club - recognise “the efforts of young people to develop their butchery skills throughout their careers, as well as those who offer support along the way.”

The five trainee butcher winners include:

• Training Mentor of the Year, Tom Grierson of Grierson Bros, Castle Douglas – “for encouraging a trainee in their development within their workplace”
• Training Partner of the Year, Kevin McMillan of Donald Butcher Ltd, Uddingston – an “employer or business which has successfully engaged with Scottish Meat Training and the assessors, to maximize the potential of their trainees.”
• Level 3 Modern Apprentice of the Year, Ryan Briggs of AJ Learmonth, Jedburgh – “for excelling in their training.” Briggs took home the award after recently winning a Meat Skills Competition for under 22’s, and will go on to compete as part of Team GB in the World Butchery Challenge 2018. 
• Level 2 Modern Apprentice of the Year, James Winters of Kilsyth – praised for “excelling in primal cutting, boning, seam cutting and trimming.”
• Extra Mile Award, Joseph Patterson of Buckhaven – “recognisuing those who have gone the extra mile in their own progression, new product development, customer service or in any way that has had a positive effect on the business they work in.

QMS marketing executive, Graeme Sharp, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Scottish Craft Butchers Training Awards this year and our congratulations go to all the winners and finalists.

“Promoting and encouraging young butchers to develop and showcase their fantastic skills and ideas is key to the future of the industry and it’s great to see the passion and drive every one of these butchers has for their craft.”