Time may have flown by, but so much has happened. We have had more of the political merry-go-round, Our King and Queen were crowned, sadly war continued in Ukraine, and more recently we have witnessed the terrible atrocities in the Middle East.
Here at home, we continue to face the cost-of-living crisis, which may have been superseded in the headlines, but sadly continues to affect so many. Poverty is still rife in our communities and again the cold was a chilling reminder of further increases that are due in utility bills which will affect not only people at home, but also businesses and us as service providers.
In such times, our work is critical and the food we put onto public sector plates plays such a vital role in keeping our nations going. A hot, nutritious meal served with love and care can literally change someone’s life.
We rarely know the people in front of us that we serve, and appearances can be deceiving, but remember that they may be in desperate need of the nutrition and sustenance you give. Your welcome and smile, that quick welfare check of a ‘hi’, or a ‘how are you’ may make a huge difference to their day or, without exaggeration, save their life. So I urge you all, keep up the amazing work you do.
Even on these cold mornings as you head off to work, keep in mind that what you do is literally transformational, and you play such a vital part in the mental, physical wellbeing, and health of our communities.
That brings me nicely to the point I wanted to make about the work you do. Each year we celebrate the very best of Public Sector Catering excellence at our prestigious Public Sector Catering Awards in London.
We know, as I have written, there are literally thousands of catering superheroes out there delivering around-the-clock, day-in and day-out. They might be in a hospital, a care home, in the field of battle or a barracks, out delivering meals on wheels, in a council office, or public building, a university, a college or a school. We need to hear about these superstars work and we need to hear now. The awards nomination process is easy – just visit the dedicated website.
You don’t have to be the best at writing submissions, it’s the story we need and everyone can tell the story of someone who inspires them, so go on, don’t delay, nominate today.
We want to hear about the amazing work you or your colleagues are doing. We want to shout from the rooftops to all those key decision makers and budget holders, and about the vital work you. Let’s not be shy, let’s make 2024 a year for you and your teams to remember, with a shortlisting or even a PSC Award to show that you are the best in class and deliver excellence to your customers with passion and care.
Public food matters, we all need to eat, and in these days and times we need to be at the top of our game, functioning well with great hydration and nutrition, so your service matters. Let’s be proud and celebrate all that is good about public sector catering and let’s keep our nation well.
May I wish you all - whether you will working, enjoying a break or ‘getting away from it all’ - a very happy and blessed Christmas and a very prosperous New Year. And the best of luck to all the nominees for the PSC Awards 2024!
