LACA unveils 2025 Awards for Excellence winners at Main Event
The LACA Awards for Excellence aim to celebrate individuals and teams who continue to make a ‘real difference’ to education catering and school food.
Judith Gregory gave the Chair’s Award to both Katie Palmer from Foodsense Wales and Emma Holmes from Cardiff & Vale University Health Board for their continued support during her time as LACA chair.
The Nourish Contract Catering – Food Development Team won the LACA & Natasha’s Allergy Research Foundation Allergy Management Award. The winning school food catering service showed exceptional practice in the management of food allergens as well as outstanding commitment to educating children, staff, governors and parents in the subject.
Elsewhere the LACA Marketing Award went to CATERed while Cardiff Council were the 2025 recipients of the Nan Berger Memorial Award. The Yorkshire & Humberside region was announced as the Region of the Year for the third 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 both Sonia Blanchard and Gillian Morris from Blaenau Gwent CBC.
Judith Gregory, chair of LACA, commented: “The LACA Awards for Excellence shine a spotlight on the remarkable efforts of individuals, teams, and organisations dedicated to transforming school catering. This year’s nominations truly raised the bar, showcasing innovation, passion, and commitment.
"We extend our deepest appreciation to every nominee—your tireless work in delivering nutritious, high-quality meals to children across the nation is nothing short of inspiring. A huge congratulations to all of tonight’s winners.
"LACA extends its thanks to all the award sponsors for their much-appreciated support and for their ongoing commitment to recognising the exceptional endeavours of all of our nominees."
On the night a charity raffle raised £8,100 for Noah's Ark Children's Hospital Charity. Working with the NHS, the charity aims to provide the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales with state of the art equipment, facilities and family support services.
The previous night LACA also donated £1,000 to the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation so they could continue their work in making allergy history. An auction of hospitality football tickets raised £600 for Hospitality Action.
Endeavour Primary School representatives were present at the LACA Awards for Excellence as they won Veg Power’s 2025 Caterers’ Challenge as part of its Eat Them To Defeat Them campaign.
Full list of winners:
- LACA Catering Business of the Year Award (sponsored by Rational): Impact Food Group
- LACA Primary School Catering Team Award (sponsored by Middleton Foods): Woodlands School, Sefton Council
- LACA Secondary School Catering Team Award (sponsored by Bidfood): Telford Langley Catering Team – Telford and Wrekin Council
- LACA Unsung Hero Award (sponsored by Civica): Sonia Blanchard– Blaenau Gwent CBC and Gillian Morris – Blaenau Gwent CBC
- LACA Marketing Award (sponsored by Wafflemeister): CATERed
- LACA & Natasha’s Allergy Research Foundation Allergy Management Award: Nourish Contract Catering – Food Development Team
- LACA Apprentice/Trainee Award (sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Cooks of London): Dilyana Merev – Bassingbourn Village College/IFG
- Nan Berger Memorial Award (sponsored by Cereal Partners): Cardiff Council
- Roger Davis Outstanding Achievement Award (sponsored by Panasonic): Susan Vuli – Shire Services
- LACA Outstanding Supplier of the Year Award: McCain Foods
- LACA Region of the Year (sponsored by Muller): Yorkshire & Humberside
- LACA Chair’s Award: Katie Palmer from Foodsense Wales and Emma Holmes from Cardiff & Vale University Health Board