Over one hundred guests gathered in Butchers' Hall to applaud the achievements of butchery apprentices, their employers and training providers at the IoM/WCB Annual Prizegiving.
Though the meat industry is age-old this years’ prizegiving proved that attitudes certainly aren’t – as more than half of the apprentice winners this year were women.
Presiding over this prestigious event was Institute of Meat chief executive, Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), with current Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, Andrew Parker, presenting the awards.
The twelve category winners were:
| AWARD | WINNER | EMPLOYER |
| Best New Apprentice | Emily Jackson | Westmorland Family |
| Best Retailer Butchery Apprentice | Emma Guillemer | Provenance Village Butcher |
| Best Independent Retailer Apprentice | Daniel Figg | J.F. Bishop |
| Best Multiple Retailer Butchery Apprentice | Adam Howarth | Morrisons |
| Best Meat Processing Apprentice | Jessica Kellaway | ABP Guildford |
| Best Abattoir Worker/Apprentice | Willem Borst | Morrisons |
| Best Apprentice Showing Management Potential in a Manufacturing Environment | Vincenza Cesano | ABP Guildford |
| Best Meat Apprentice Showing Real Management Potential | Mia Tamburrini | Morgan’s Butchery |
| Lord Graham Endeavour Award | Amelia Dayson | Firths Quality Meats |
| Best Company Training Scheme | Cranstons | |
| Best Training Provider | Crosby Butchery Training | |
| Champion Meat Apprentice | Mia Tamburrini | Morgan’s Butchery |
The category winners each received a cheque for £250, a framed certificate and a years free membership of the Institute of Meat.
The overall winner, ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’, Mia Tamburrini, received a winners trophy and certificate, a years free membership of the IoM plus an additional cash prize of £500.
Speaking with Meat Management, who sponsored the award, Tamburrini said that she is proud to have won the award and sees her success as a stepping stone to furthering her career in butchery, as she looks to launch her own business this year.
Commenting on the event and winners Keith Fisher said: "It gives me great pleasure to receive so many nominations, and read about so many talented young people, especially at a time when our industry is being tested yet again. Like the meat industry, our winners will need to be resilient in the years ahead. Today’s award, when combined with hard work and determination, could be the springboard to many future successes."
Five highly skilled butchers were also recognised on the day by being awarded Institute of Meat accredited Master Butcher status. They received their awards from Institute of Meat Chairman, Bill Jermey, who first developed the IoM Master Butcher accreditation as a means of recognising excellence in the field of butchery skills and knowledge.
They were:
| Steven Russell (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| Letitia Redfern (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| Gary Levey (MB.Inst.M) | Sparsholt College |
| Anthony Davies (MB.Inst.M) | Dunbia |
| James Hutchinson (MB.Inst.M) | Sofina Foods Ltd |
When asked about the Institute of Meat Master Butcher accreditation Bill Jermey said: "Butchers applying for Master Butcher accreditation are serious about their craft. They submit themselves to a rigorous four-stage assessment process, during which they must impress not only the Institute of Meat but also independent moderators. Taking months from start to finish it is not for the faint hearted, but the Master Butchers recognised today are all deserving of the title. I heartily congratulate them."
Other awards given during the prizegiving were: Best Company Training Scheme, which went to Cranstons, and Best Meat Training Provider, collected by Crosby Butchery Training. ABP Commercial Manager, Dave Smith, was awarded ‘Fellow’ of the Institute of Meat and lastly, outgoing ftc Board Chairman, John Proctor, was given an Honorary Fellowship.
For more information about the prize-giving or how to nominate an apprentice, please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, info@instituteofmeat.org.
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.
