South West Region

Brad is the managing director of CATERed, a cooperative school meals provider in Plymouth, owned by over 60 schools and Plymouth council. Brad's career in local government began age 16 with Devon's trading standards team. He later took on client roles for Devon County Council during compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) in cleaning and school catering during the late 1980s. 

 A native of Plymouth, Brad joined Plymouth City Council after local government re-organisation in 1998, where he managed sales and marketing of services directly to schools. In 2007, he was appointed education catering manager, overseeing the school meals service during a transformative period and which led to significant government funding, the building of over 20 new kitchens, ending all transported school meals across the city and major refurbishment of the school kitchen estate. 

 Brad played a crucial role in the national School Food Plan, leading the small schools project across rural Devon and Cornwall. In April 2015, he launched CATERed, the UK's first cooperative school meals provider, ensuring all children have access to freshly prepared, locally sourced hot school food with a strong focus on building and maintaining regional food production and sourcing whether that be with dedicated local farms growing potatoes to locally caught and landed haddock.  CATERed now provide services in Plymouth, West Devon and South East Cornwall.  

Brad has been an active member of LACA since the early 1990s. He has served as regional chair for the South West Region, became a Board Member in 2018, was national Chair in 2022/23 and is currently the Vice Chair Elect.

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