News

Speaking about the LACA Awards for Excellence, chair Anita Brown said: “Good management, strong performances and high achievements deserve to be recognised. It is particularly important to both reward and sustain motivation.”

The Awards aim to recognise individuals and teams who continue ‘to make a real difference’ in education catering. There are 11 awards open for nominations this year, including:

• LACA & Natasha Allergy Research Foundation Allergy Management Award: Nominees must show exceptional practice in the management of allergens, including working practices, record keeping, staff training and signposting.
• LACA Catering Business of the Year Award:  Entries can be from a local authority team that manages the catering in their local area or a company supplying services to the wider school meals sector, or other catering enterprises, including those companies owned by a local authority.
• LACA Primary School Catering Team of the Year Award: This award aims to give recognition to a primary school based catering team which has made an outstanding contribution to raising the profile of education catering within the school and/or its local community.
• LACA Secondary School Catering Team of the Year Award: This award aims to give recognition to a secondary school based catering team which has made an outstanding contribution to raising the profile of education catering within the school and/or its local community.
• LACA Unsung Hero Award: This award is looking to celebrate those unsung heroes within the school catering industry. LACA are encouraging anyone who has seen amazing dedication, or who has witnessed someone go above and beyond in their role, to send in their nominations for the Unsung Hero Award.
• LACA Marketing Award: Marketing practices can be used to support school caterers in many ways - showcasing the school meals service, encouraging healthy eating and lifestyles while having fun and, of course, encouraging meal uptake.
• The Nan Berger Memorial Award: This award is in recognition of Nan Berger and of her exemplary work in the field of innovation, accreditation and/or collaboration which has led to a successful result either with increased meal uptake or raising the profile of the school catering service.
• Roger Davis Outstanding Achievement Award: It is awarded to the person who has, above all others, demonstrated outstanding levels of service and commitment and made an enormous contribution to local authority catering.
• LACA Apprentice/Trainee Award: The nominee will have to illustrate what the impact of the training outcomes are following the programme and how the learning has been successfully implemented and embraced by colleagues, the workplace and ultimately improving client satisfaction.
• LACA Region of the Year: This award aims to recognise the great work done in the regions at the grassroots level of the Association.
• LACA Outstanding Supplier of the Year Award: This award is in recognition of a LACA partner or associate member who has consistently maintained the highest level of support and service excellence to the education catering sector.

The winners will be revealed at the LACA Awards for Excellence dinner taking place on the evening of Thursday 4th July during the LACA Main Event. 

The Early Bird Discounted booking rates for the 2024 LACA Main Event have been extended. LACA members have until Friday 10th May to book the two night residential package, saving £140 on the standard rate.