The LACA Awards for Excellence aim to celebrate individuals and teams who continue to make a ‘real difference’ to education catering and school food.
The Chair’s Award for 2024 was given to three people including immediate past chair of LACA Brad Pearce, current Public Sector Catering Alliance chair Matthew White MBE and Melanie Ryder from Stockton on Tees Borough Council.
Elsewhere Bidfood and SchoolGrid were named as the joint winners of the Outstanding Supplier of the Year category. While the Yorkshire & Humberside region was announced as the Region of the Year for the second consecutive year.
The LACA Unsung Hero Award, which is given to an individual who has gone above and beyond in their role, was awarded to Rebecca Britton from Impact Food Group. Also from Impact Food Group Bryan Lygate was awarded the Roger David Outstanding Achievement accolade.
On the night a charity raffle raised an incredible £8,370 for the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. The charity was set up by Nadim and Tanya Laperouse following the death of their daughter and they aim to make allergy history.
Anita Brown, chair of LACA, commented: “The LACA Awards for Excellence aim to celebrate individuals, teams and organisations who go above and beyond to make a difference in education catering. The standard of entries this year was very high and well done to all the winners tonight. It is also important to recognise the nominees who are also winners as they continue to provide schoolchildren across the country with a healthy, hot and nutritious meal every day.”
The full list of winners include:
- LACA Business of the Year Award (sponsored by Rational): Local Food Links
- LACA Primary School Catering Team of the Year Award (sponsored by Middleton Foods): Priory School Catering Team – SENDAT
- LACA Secondary School Catering Team of the Year Award (sponsored by Bidfood): South Axholme Academy - Isle Education Trust
- LACA Marketing Award (sponsored by Wafflemeister): Norse Group
- LACA & Natasha Allergy Research Foundation Allergy Management Award: Caterlink Nutrition Team
- The Roger Davis Outstanding Achievement Award: Bryan Lygate from Impact Food Group
- The Nan Berger Memorial Award (sponsored by Cereal Partners): Cardiff Council
- LACA Apprentice/Trainee Award (sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Cooks): Lyndsay Knowles from Salford Citywide Services
- LACA Unsung Hero Award (sponsored by Civica): Rebecca Britton from Impact Food Group
- LACA Region of the Year: Yorkshire & Humberside
- LACA Outstanding Supplier of the Year: Bidfood and SchoolGrid (joint winners)
- LACA Chair’s Award: Brad Pearce, Matthew White MBE and Melanie Ryder (joint winners)