Members of the Events Group
Neil has dedicated over 40 years to the education catering sector, beginning his career as a kitchen manager in a primary school in 1981. He advanced to the role of contract manager for Avon County, overseeing catering services for 475 schools. Following the local government reorganisation in 1995, Neil moved to Bristol City Council, where he became the head of service for catering and facilities.
In 2005, Neil joined BAM Facilities Management (formerly HBG) to lead the mobilisation of a new build project comprising four secondary schools and a leisure centre. He eventually rose to the position of Director for the South of England, a role he has held for eight years.
Neil's passion for school meals has been unwavering. He has been an active member of LACA since the mid-1990s and currently serves as the business director and chair of the events group. Additionally, Neil is the regional chair for the Institute of Hospitality (IOH) South West branch, where he strives to elevate the profile of public sector catering
With over 20 years of dedicated service, Judith is the education catering business manager at Cardiff Council overseeing the education catering service, which provides over 28,000 meals to 116 schools. She trained as a home economist at the University of North London and has held significant roles at Marks and Spencer, Cardiff University, and the University of South Wales.
In 2005, she helped develop and then piloted the Welsh Government’s Free Breakfast Initiative, and in 2015, she helped pioneered and develop the award-winning ‘food and fun’ holiday pilot programme, adopted by the Welsh Government and is now implemented across all 22 Welsh local authorities. During the pandemic, Judith innovated a direct payment system for free school meal pupils across Cardiff. She represented education catering providers supporting the Welsh Government in the rollout of Universal Free School Meals for primary pupils in Wales.
Judith has served as treasurer and six years as regional chair for LACA Wales and is now the LACA national chair. Recognised as one of the UK Public Sector Catering’s Most Influential People in 2017, 2018, and 2025, Judith exemplifies leadership and commitment in the education catering industry.
Bryan joined LACA because he recognises the association's voice in advocating nutritious food for all students. As the sector has faced increasing challenges over the years, Bryan has volunteered more time to supporting LACA, culminating in his recent appointment to the board as a director.
With over 15 years of experience in the restaurant and retail sectors, Bryan transitioned to education catering over 12 years ago and currently oversees an education catering business that serves over 600 schools across England. Having personally experienced life as a free school meal student, Bryan is passionate about ensuring that future generations have daily access to safe, nutritious food made from high-quality ingredients and delivered with exceptional customer service. This extends to contributing to parents and children’s learning and understanding of nutritious food.
Bryan's commitment extends beyond food and service in his own business; he is also driven by LACA’s role in advocating the importance of nutritious food. He firmly believes that when children start their lives with a strong foundation in healthy eating and learning about nutrition, they are more likely to learn well, achieve more, and lead healthier lives.
Simon is a well-known and trusted figure in the industry, having represented Hobart Equipment UK for over 23 years. A Certified Foodservice Professional, he plays an active role in several healthcare, education, and public sector associations. Simon is passionate about delivering innovative catering equipment solutions that help education catering teams save energy, space, and time. With cost challenges on the rise, he enjoys collaborating with key industry stakeholders to share best practices, explore new ideas, and advocate for increased funding support across the sector as well as contribute to shaping the future.
Jon has dedicated his entire career to the foodservice industry, with a strong focus on the cost sector. He has extensive experience supplying schools of all ages with a wide range of products across key categories, including Bakery, Desserts, Meat, Drinks, and Condiments.
Jon is passionate about ensuring that children receive balanced, nutritious meals every day in school, recognising the important role good food plays in supporting both learning and development. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with school catering teams, helping them source reliable, high-quality products while managing costs and meeting nutritional standards.
Jon is committed to supporting schools in delivering consistent, great-tasting food that meets the needs of pupils and staff alike. His belief is simple: by helping schools feed children well today, we’re helping build a healthier, brighter future for the next generation.
