Announcing the winners of the APPG and Soft FM Innovation Awards 2023/24!

Announcing the winners of the APPG Excellence in School Food Awards and the APSE Soft Facilities Management Innovation Awards 2023/24!

Speaking about the APPG Awards, Chair of the APPG and lead judge, Sharon Hodgson MP, said: 

“I want to say a big thank you to everyone who sent in a submission to this year’s APPG Excellence in School Food Awards. It was a pleasure to read through the fantastic work that is being carried out across the country. You are all a credit to the sector.

“I was thrilled to meet the finalists at the APSE Facilities Management Seminar 2024, and would like to congratulate all submissions for their tireless efforts to ensure the delivery of school food continues to be at the highest and most innovative standards.”

Speaking about the Innovation Awards, APSE Chief Executive, Mo Baines, said, "After what has been a challenging few years for the school food and building cleaning industry, it was fantastic to see such impressive submissions. However, this also made it exceptionally hard to select finalists. To the winners, your inventiveness in the face of such difficulties is simply outstanding."

The winners were announced at the APSE Facilities Management Seminar on 25 January at Oulton Hall Hotel in Leeds. 

APSE Soft FM Innovation Awards

Building Cleaning  

• Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council: Continuing to strive towards the net zero carbon requirement
• Newham Council - Juniper Ventures: Transforming Building Cleaning through Innovative Feedback Systems
• Highland Council: Highland Council Public Conveniences

Winner:  Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Catering 

• Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council : Implementing universal primary free school meals
• Shetland Islands Council: Local Food Procurement
• South Lanarkshire Council: Waste Warriors

Winner: Shetland Islands Council

APPG Excellence in School Food Awards

Individuals Category 

• Fiona Black, Food and Nutrition teacher, Community and Partnerships Officer at The Halifax Academy
• Kath Breckon, North Yorkshire Council / NYES Catering

Winner: Kath Breckon, North Yorkshire Council / NYES Catering

Schools Category 

• Rushey Green Primary School
• The Grove School

Winner: The Grove School

Groups Category

• The Food Teachers Centre - Levelling-up food education
• Juniper Ventures Ltd
• Magic Breakfast - Breakfasts in Schools
• London Borough of Tower Hamlets - Universal free school meals for secondary pupils

Winner: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

ENDS

• Discover how your local authority catering and cleaning teams can benefit from APSE membership. Get in touch with Principal Advisor Victoria Hacking on [email protected]
• The Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) is a not-for-profit local government body working with over 300 councils throughout the UK. Promoting excellence in public services, APSE is the foremost specialist in local authority frontline services and operates one of the UK’s largest research programmes in local government policy and frontline service delivery matters.