Latest News

AiP wins catering contract at Sutton Coldfield secondary school

23 February 2012 | London Region

Award-winning education catering providers Alliance in Partnership (AiP) has won a new contract with a Sutton Coldfield secondary school.

The company has been awarded a three-year contract with Bishop Walsh Catholic School, which caters for 1034 pupils aged 11-18.

Business manager Dawn Knott said: "We impressed with AiP's track record and company ethos. We're really looking forward to working with them and developing our food service offer throughout the school campus."

Hampshire freezes school meals prices for fourth year

3 February 2012 | South West Region

The Hampshire County Council’s Catering Service has announced that the price of its school meals is to be kept the same for the fourth consecutive year.

Councillor Roy Perry, Hampshire County Council's deputy leader and executive lead member for children's services, approved the maintaining of the price of school meals at its current level of £2 per meal.

The council says that around 7 million meals are likely to be served in Hampshire's primary schools by the end of the school year based on the current take-up.

North Yorkshire County Council launches labelling technology for schools

31 January 2012 | Yorkshire and Humberside region

North Yorkshire County Council has introduced new labelling technology to help schools cut costs and promote healthy eating.

The system, developed by Sheffield-based retail and solutions specialist FormKraft, also helps keep pupils on-site during breaks, by offering informative packaging on the 350,000 packaged sandwiches, salads, fruit and meals sold each year.

The equipment is helping to streamline labelling on sandwiches and other products in North Yorkshire's school dining halls and save around £10,000 over the next three years.

Under the previous system, food label

Pupils from Croydon schools to take part in food waste pilot scheme

30 January 2012 | London Region

Pupils from five Croydon schools are being given the chance to make even more of a positive impact on the environment.

Recycling in Croydon entered a new phase last year when the domestic food-waste collection service was introduced.

Food that had previously been sent to landfill, producing damaging methane gas as it degraded, is now collected from households and recycled into compost to be used in food production on farms.

The next stage will reward the pupils of five schools who have displayed a proactive attitude to recycling, with the chance to participate in a 12-w

AiP wins five year catering contract with Worcestershire school

25 January 2012 | West Midlands Region

Award winning education caterers Alliance in Partnership (AiP) has won a new five-year catering contract with a Worcestershire school.

Birchensale Middle School in Batchley has chosen AiP to provide meals for its 398 pupils.

Business manager Pauline Begley said: "We were impressed by AiP's green credentials, inventive menus and inclusive attitude and look forward to working with them."

David Weller, managing director for AiP added: "We are extremely pleased to have won this contract and have lots of new and exciting ideas to contribute to Birchensale Middle School."

School meals boss leaves Warrington Borough Council

23 January 2012 | North West Region

Warrington Borough Council School Meals Catering Service has announced that Gordon Carson, its catering services manager, has left the company to start his own school food advisory service.

He will also end his role as chair of the North West School Meals Caterers Forum.

During a council/service wide efficiency restructure, Carson decided the time was right to move on and start his own business given the direction and dimension that his service was taking.

FSA launches food safety and hygiene e-learning course for schools

23 January 2012 | Wales Region

The Food Standards Agency in Wales has announced that it will be making available an e-learning course 'Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene (Catering)' to schools in Wales.

This City and Guilds accredited qualification offers students an opportunity to develop important life skills, as well as equipping those hoping to work in the food or catering industry. The course is generally most suitable for students aged 14 and over.

The course is free to schools in Wales, although funding is limited.

90% of Southwark pupils are tucking into healthy school meals

19 January 2012 | South East Region

The vast majority of reception and year one pupils in Southwark are benefiting from the council's free health healthy school meals programme, it has been revealed this week.

A total of 90% of pupils are tucking into healthy lunches following the scheme's roll out in September.

Catherine McDonald, cabinet member for children's services said: "I'm delighted to know that our primary schools are embracing the free healthy school meals scheme and I look forward to the time when all the year groups receive this benefit.

"Southwark is making every effort to tackle childhood ob

North Yorks invests in food labelling system

17 January 2012 | Yorkshire and Humberside region

North Yorkshire County Council has invested £20,000 in new labelling technology which it hopes will allow the school meal service to cut costs and promote healthy eating.

Nick Postma, deputy manager of service provider County Caterers, said: “The new system encourages trials of speciality sandwiches and a range which is encouraging staff and pupils to eat more regularly in the canteen as, if staff eat with us by choice, more pupils tend to follow suit.

Teachers and cooks invited to attend Real Bread workshop

16 January 2012 | South West Region

Cooks working in schools, care homes, hospitals and prisons are being invited to attend the Square Food Foundation’s one-off workshop next month in support of the Real Bread Campaign’s Lessons in Loaf and On the Menu schemes.

Officially endorsed by Bristol City Council, the session, also aimed at teachers, is being run for the Campaign by Square Food Foundation's experienced team from 2-5pm in their brand-new purpose-built training kitchen at the Park in Knowle West on 21 February.

The workshop will cover basic Real Bread making skills, bread making in the classroom, and worki