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Entries for the LACA Partner Innovation Award, which is new for 2023, will be voted for live at the Main Event. The remaining award categories include:

• LACA & Natasha Allergy Research Foundation Allergy Management Award- New for 2023: Nominees must be able to show exceptional practice in the management of allergens within the workplace, including working practices, record keeping, staff training and signposting.
• 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 Catering Business of the Year Award: This award is looking to recognise the top-performing catering business in the school meals sector. 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 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.
• LACA Unsung Hero Award: This award is looking to celebrate those unsung heroes within the school catering industry.  We 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 Region of the Year Award: 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 Roger David Outstanding Achievement Award: This prestigious award represents the highest accolade that can be bestowed upon an individual within education catering. 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.

Brad Pearce, chair of LACA, said: “The LACA Awards for Excellence recognise individuals and teams who continue to make a real difference in education catering. Good management, strong performances and high achievements deserve to be recognised and it is particularly important to not only reward but sustain motivation.”

Entries close on April 28th and you can nominate online