Posted on: Friday 17 November 2023
The team in charge of school catering in Torfaen has won another two national industry awards.
Torfaen Catering, which provides meals to all primary schools and 3 of our secondary schools, has won an innovation award for their Sustainability Road Map. This includes their work with primary school pupils who have been recognised as leading the way in reducing plate waste in dining halls.
They've also been awarded the Welsh Government Award for Excellence in Schools Award for their roll out of the Universal Free School Meals programme.
The innovative roadmap has helped the team scoop up the title of joint LACA Wales Innovation Award winners at a recent awards ceremony. LACA is the leading professional body representing the school food sector.
The road map is updated throughout the year to show what they have done to reduce their impact on climate change, and how they have worked with schools on this journey.
Rolling out free school meals to all year groups has been another priority of the service. Torfaen is only one of 13 local authorities in Wales who are offering free school meals to all year groups. To make this happen, eight kitchens had to be refurbished to make it possible to cater for the extra children having schools meals, and 60 extra staff had to be recruited.
Councillor Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: “I am thrilled to hear that the School’s Catering Team have been recognised for their hard work and ambition.
“They are working really hard with schools and other partners to make school meals tasty, nutritious and sustainable.”
Find out more about Primary school catering.