The NACC Awards 2019 open for entries
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) is calling for nominations for the NACC Awards 2019. The prestigious awards recognise and celebrate teams and individuals from across the care catering sector that demonstrate innovation, excellence and dedication in their field, creating real benefits for the people they cater for and their colleagues. NACC members are invited to nominate the unsung heroes within their organisation by the deadline of Friday 5 July 2019. The NACC Awards categories are: The winners will be honoured at a gala awards dinner on the evening of Thursday 10 October 2019 at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. Here, the recipients of the Pam Rhodes Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Robot-Coupe, and the National Chairman’s Award will also be revealed, plus the winning region in the hotly contested NACC Region of the Year Award category, sponsored by Meiko. The NACC Awards 2019 nomination brochure can be downloaded at www.thenacc.co.uk/events/nacc-awards-2019 Neel Radia, National Chair of the NACC, comments: “The NACC Awards are very special to the association. They allow us to step back and reflect on the incredible work care caterers do every day to enhance the life quality of those in a care environment through good food and enriching mealtime experiences. “Mealtimes are at the centre of quality care. Through good nutrition and hydration and person-centred, enjoyable dining we can help improve the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals. Every year, the award entries we receive demonstrate that up and down the country people are going above and beyond to make a difference to the lives of residents and their loved ones, and to wellbeing of their colleagues. There’s an abundance of innovation and creativity, teamwork and leadership, and dedication, professionalism and flair within care catering and we want to celebrate it. We urge everyone to download the nomination brochure and enter!” Entry to the NACC Awards is open to members of the NACC. For more information about how to become a member visit www.thenacc.co.uk.
NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 finalists announced
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has announced the finalists for the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 competition, taking it one step closer to crowning the nation’s best care chef. Over the past month, talented chefs working in the care sector have competed in the regional heats to secure a coveted place in the national final of the prestigious culinary competition. Across the NACC regions – Scotland, North, Midlands, Wales, South West and South East – the competition judges have been impressed by the culinary skills and specialist knowledge of all the chefs. The successful chefs now preparing for the national final, stood out for demonstrating flair and innovation, suitability of the menu for a care environment, clear understanding of nutritional needs and dietary requirements of the end user, menu balance and flavour combinations, and technical execution and presentation. The National Final takes place on Wednesday 5 June 2019 at the new venue of Stratford-upon-Avon College. The NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 finalists are: Neel Radia, national chair of the NACC, says: “Congratulations to the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 finalists. The calibre of the chefs competing in the regional heats was exceptional so to reach the national final is an incredible achievement. “This competition is specially designed to challenge care chefs and showcase their talent and specialist skills and the knowledge they have of nutrition and dietary requirements, which is vital in a care setting. It also raises the profile of the care sector as a rewarding, dynamic career choice. Everyone who has competed in the competition are fine examples of care chefs up and down the country, who believe food is at the centre of quality care and are dedicated to making sure they deliver the very best. We’re thrilled to be taking the national final to a new location this year, Stratford-upon-Avon College. It’s a fantastic facility for the finalists to compete in and, for the first time, we have a viewing gallery that will allow all the supporters and guests in the audience to see the chefs in action and really feel part of the exciting event. Good luck to everyone!” The NACC Care Chef of the Year competition, which is proudly supported by the main sponsor Premier Foods and the Worshipful Company of Cooks, recognises the excellence of chefs working in the care sector. The competition challenges entrants to create a nutritionally-balanced, two-course menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for service users in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses should be no more than £2.25 per head and it must be nutritionally balanced. The menu must also incorporate one of the listed Premier Foods products. The finalists will have just 90 minutes to produce their dishes and the judges will be looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods they are using and how they benefit their clientele, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution and presentation. For more information on the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 competition visit www.thenacc.co.uk
A quarter of councils have stopped offering Meals on Wheels
24 per cent of the UK’s local authorities have stopped offering a Meals on Wheels service since 2014. Just 42 per cent of local authorities now offer any kind of Meals on Wheels service to elderly and vulnerable people living in our communities. These are the findings of new research from the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) for Meals on Wheels Week 2018 (5-9 November). The survey of the higher tier authorities in the UK shows a steady decline in the provision of Meals on Wheels services since the NACC first commissioned the research in 2014, when 66% of UK local authorities provided a service, and again in 2016, when the figure was 48%. The research also shows that the number of councils subsidising the service financially has decreased from 80 per cent in 2016 to just 58 per cent in 2018. This reduction in the provision of Meals on Wheels is due to the drastic reduction in Adult Social Care budgets, estimated to be over £2 billion by the Local Government Association. The NACC is calling on the Government to increase funding to communities across the country to secure the future of the Meals on Wheels services, whether provided by a local authority, charity, voluntary group or private enterprise. The service brings considerable benefits to its users and is also proven to reduce the pressure on health and social care services by improving the overall health and wellbeing of service users and allowing people to continue living in their own homes. As highlighted in the research, the North West is now the worst area of the country for Meals on Wheels, with only 13 per cent of councils providing the service, down from nearly half of councils in 2014. It is also slim pickings in the North East, where just 17 per cent of councils offer meals to older people at home. In the East Midlands, nearly four in every ten councils have cut their Meals on Wheels service in the last four years. Meals on Wheels – more than just a meal The Meals on Wheels service enables the elderly and vulnerable to live independently in their homes for longer. It keeps them nourished and hydrated with a nutritious daily meal (in many cases the only one they will have each day) and provides an essential preventative service that reduces costly malnutrition-related admissions to hospital that are adding to the terrible strain on the NHS. For the majority of service users, Meals on Wheels is so much more than just a meal. It is a social lifeline that eases the devastating effects of isolation and loneliness. The delivery of a meal brings regular human contact, which for many may be the only interaction they enjoy. It also provides much-needed wellbeing and safety checks, again, crucial for those that may not see anyone else during the day. Meals on Wheels Week 2018 As well as raising awareness of the decline in essential Meals on Wheels services and the need to protect the service, Meals on Wheels Week activity champions the positive, innovative work of NACC members and social care providers that has enabled services to continue despite austerity. Meals on Wheels Week 2018 activities include: Food Poverty Conference at City Hall – organised by the charity Sustain, the NACC will focus on Meals on Wheels as part of a round table discussion on tackling food poverty, alongside London authorities, on Monday 5 November Innovative case studies – inspirational case studies from NACC members that show how innovation and alternative models have enabled services to continue to run and benefit the community will be released during Meals on Wheels Week, in partnership with Sustain. On Thursday 8 November, an interactive webinar will discuss the case studies VIP on Wheels – across the country Meals on Wheels services are inviting local dignitaries and celebrities to join a delivery round to see first-hand the positive impact the service has on service users and the community Neel Radia, national chair of the NACC, said: “Meals on Wheels is a vital part of social care and a lifeline that helps elderly and vulnerable people to keep a level of independence in their own homes. It’s therefore disappointing, if not unexpected, to see a further decline in service provision across the UK. The meals provided by these services are carefully tailored to meet customers’ dietary requirements, and their loss could lead to malnutrition, greater social isolation and loneliness. Meals on Wheels isn’t just about delivering a meal. Service providers regularly check upon elderly and vulnerable people to make sure they are fed and hydrated and that their health isn’t deteriorating. For many older and vulnerable people, the Meals on Wheels delivery might be the only friendly face they see from one day to the next. Just a few weeks ago, the Prime Minister asked postal workers to check on elderly and vulnerable people as part of her new loneliness strategy. Meals on Wheels already provides this vital contact, but when it comes to concrete action to support this efficient and beneficial service, we only see shrinking budgets. The Government has claimed they will bring about the ‘end of austerity’, but vulnerable people are seeing services they depend on disappear because of the squeeze in local authorities’ budgets. The Government should safeguard Meals on Wheels services by making sure councils have the funding and resources necessary to provide them. On a positive note, NACC members and providers across the country are not giving up on the Meals on Wheels service easily. We have seen exceptional examples of providers thinking differently and finding alternative approaches and models that have enabled them to continue to run the service, and most importantly, continue to benefit the community and the people they serve both today and in the future. This is what we are championing during Meals on Wheels Week and I encourage everyone to follow the event on social media and, where possible, take part.” For more information about the NACC and Meals
