After five years away from Butchers' Hall, due to its refurbishment, the Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers (WCB) Awards returned to its original home to recognise the achievements of some outstanding members of the meat industry.Over a hundred guests gathered in the refurbished Livery Hall to see apprentices, training providers and employers receive their awards, presented by Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), chief executive of the Institute of Meat. Also presiding were Tim Dumenil, Master of The Worshipful Company of Butchers and Bill Jermey, chairman of the Institute of Meat.There were total 11 category awards and the winners were:
| AWARD | | WINNER |
| Best New Apprentice | | Elliot Tong |
| Best Retail ButcheryApprentice | | Austin Howell |
| Best Independent Retailer Meat Apprentice | | Jack Western |
| Best Multiple Retailer ButcheryApprentice | | Harley English |
| Best Meat ProcessingApprentice | | Harry Pritchard |
| Best Abattoir Worker /Apprentice | | Kaspars Matis |
| Best Meat Apprentice Showing RealManagement Potential | | Samuel Cooke |
| Lord Graham EndeavourAward | | Christopher Sheardown |
| Best Company TrainingScheme | | Cranswick Country Foods PLC |
| Best Meat Training Providerof the Year | | Shropshire Training Ltd |
| Champion Meat Apprenticeof the Year | | Jack Western |
The Award winners all received a commemorative trophy, a cheque for £250 and a year's free membership of The Institute of Meat.The ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’, sponsored by Meat Management Magazine, went to Jack Western who received a trophy and certificate, a year’s free membership of the IoM and an additional cash prize of £500.Following success at the IoM’s assessment, five experienced butchers were also awarded Institute of Meat accredited, ‘Master Butcher’ status. Receiving their accredited Master Butcher status were: Joseph Marshall (MB.Inst.M), Martin Frazer (MB.Inst.M), James Richardson (MB.Inst.M), Anthony Langton (MB.Inst.M) and Aodh McKenna (MB.Inst.M).Industry consultant, Viv Harvey, currently Team GB’s coach for the World Butchers Challenge 2020, was honoured with a Fellowship of the Institute of Meat, in recognition of his dedication to the education and training of young butchers over the past 48 years.Commenting on the day Keith Fisher said: “All our apprentice award winners showed exceptional promise and they should be very proud of achieving their awards. I hope that they will look to the Master Butchers awarded today and be inspired to keep learning and aim high in their future careers. Now, perhaps more than ever, we welcome the boost of creativity and optimism that butchery apprentices like those awarded today bring to the meat industry.”Jack Western, winner of the Best Independent Retailer Meat Apprentice 2019, was also awarded the Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year Award, sponsored by Meat Management. Commneting on his awards, Western told Meat Management: "I’m very happy to win these awards, it wasn’t expected at all. I knew I’d won the Independent Retailer award beforehand but to win the Champions Apprentice Award as well was a completely different feeling all together. I feel like now all the hard work I’ve put in finally counts for something."
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
