Institute of Meat and Worshipful Company of Butchers celebrate ‘future proofed’ apprenticeship at their Annual Prizegiving

In addition to applauding the achievements of exceptional individuals and organisations, the Institute of Meat and Worshipful Company of Butchers had further reason to celebrate today. The Butcher Standard Apprenticeship, launched here in Butchers Hall a decade ago, has been formally updated ‘future proofing’ industry-wide butchery skills for the next generation of butchery apprentices.

Over 140 guests gathered to see apprentices, training providers and employers involved in the award-winning apprenticeship receive their prizes, presented by Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), Chief Executive of the Institute of Meat together with John Allton Jones, Master of The Worshipful Company of Butchers.  

In total, twelve awards were presented to the following worthy winners:

WINNERAWARDEMPLOYERPROPOSORAWARD SPONSOR
Mea IliffeBest New ApprenticeRingrose ButchersCrosby Management TrainingWindsor Food Machinery
Daniel PowellBest Retail Butchery ApprenticePriors West LynnPoultecNational Craft Butchers
Kate BleachBest Independent Retailer Meat ApprenticeGrange FarmPlumpton CollegeDalziel Ltd.
Lewis HartleyBest In-Store Multiple Retailer Butchery ApprenticeMorrisons PLCRemit TrainingIoM (Paul Edkins Memorial Cup)
Luca McDougallBest Meat Processing ApprenticeCranswick Country FoodsBishop BurtonBritish Meat Processors Association
Adil NadeemBest Abattoir Worker/ApprenticeMorrisons PLCWorkforce Training & DevelopmentABP Food Group
Eimear HunterBest Apprentice Showing Management Potential in a Manufacturing EnvironmentABP  Food GroupCAFREWorshipful Company of Poulters
Laurissa BarriballBest Meat Apprentice Showing Real Management PotentialBrian Etherington Meat CompanyMEAT IpswichOakfield Foods Ltd.
Patrick KellyLord Graham Endeavour AwardDays of Ashwell LtdMEAT IpswichIoM (Kenneth Jenkins Cup)
ABP Master Butcher Training ProgrammeBest Company Training SchemeABP Food Group Institute of Meat
MEAT Ipswich LtdBest Meat Training Provider  WCB (Fred Mallion Bowl)

The category winners each received a cheque for £250, a framed certificate and a year’s free membership of the Institute of Meat.

The most prized award, ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’, went to Laurissa Barriball of the Brian Etherington Meat Company. Laurissa received a winner’s trophy and certificate, a year’s free membership of the IoM and an additional cash prize of £500. The judges were impressed with Laurissa’s interest in developing value added meat products and desire to pass on her skills to future apprentices.

Commenting on the prizegiving, Fisher said,

‘We had a record number of nominations this year, which along with our revitalised butchery apprenticeship is a real indication of the enthusiasm and confidence surrounding butchery today. I’m only sorry we couldn’t award more apprentices. The standard of applicants was superb – it grows stronger every year.’

Also celebrated on the day was the awarding of 13 new Institute of Meat accredited Master Butchers. All have successfully completed the Institute of Meat’s rigorous assessment process and now qualify to use the Master Butcher post nominal letters, MB.Inst.M. The newly recognised Master Butchers are:

Daniel McQueen  (MB.Inst.M)Booker Group
James Brindley  (MB.Inst.M)Booker Group
John Bye  (MB.Inst.M)Booker Group
Shaun Noble (MB.Inst.M)Booker Group
Shane Morley  (MB.Inst.M)Booker Group
Scott Edney  (MB.Inst.M)ABP Beef
Harry Pritchard  (MB.Inst.M)ABP Beef
Martin Player  (MB.Inst.M)Oriel Jones
Shaun Jones  (MB.Inst.M)Oriel Jones
Robert Powell  (MB.Inst.M)Dunbia
Paul Nicholson  (MB.Inst.M)Bishop Burton College
George Clapham  (MB.Inst.M)Woodhead Bros
Martin Neely  (MB.Inst.M)Highland Meats

Pam Brook, past editor of Meat Management Magazine, was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Meat for her services to the meat industry over many years.  

Reflecting on the day, Bill Jermey, Chairman of the Institute of Meat, concluded,

‘The British meat industry has to adapt constantly to meet the changing demands of consumers. To do that we need the right training, the right people and the right mindset. That’s what we are celebrating today – we have it all within this room.’

For more information about the prizegiving or how to nominate an apprentice, please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, info@instituteofmeat.org

To find out more about the updated butchery apprenticeship and end-point assessment visit FDQ.org.uk or email fdq@FDQ.org.uk