Jim Sydenham, BDCI Trustee pictured with Jimmy Mariano, winner of the Lord Graham Endeavour Award.

Please see full press release below from The Institute of Meat:

Meat Industry Stars Celebrated at Institute of Meat and Worshipful Company of Butcher’s Annual Prizegiving

In one of the meat industry’s favourite traditions, today the Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers (WCB) celebrated the achievements of apprentices, employers and training providers at their Annual Prizegiving, held at Butchers Hall, London.

After welcoming a record number of attendees, IoM Chief Executive Dave Smith (F.Inst.M) revealed the winners in each category, who were then presented with their awards by the Master of the Worshipful Company, Gwyn Howells.

The winners and awards were:

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

The most coveted award, ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’ sponsored by Meat Management magazine, was won by Nikita Somma, from Sykes House Farm. The judges were particularly impressed by Nikita’s technical ability, creativity and composure under pressure when competing in the ‘Battle of the Apprentice Butchers’ at the Great Yorkshire Show, which resulted in her winning the Golden Cleaver as well as two other awards.

Nikita received a winner’s trophy and certificate, a year’s free membership of the IoM and an additional cash prize of £500.

Commenting on his first year presiding over the prizegiving, Dave Smith said,

‘I’ve attended the IoM/WCB Annual Prizegiving many times as a guest, but standing here today to personally applaud the efforts and achievements of today’s award recipients has been doubly rewarding and enjoyable.’

‘I’m especially pleased to see women so well represented amongst our apprentice winners. The meat industry is for all. It’s good to see this message gaining traction where it matters – at grass roots level.’

Also celebrated on the day was the awarding of 13 new Institute of Meat accredited Master Butchers. The awarding criteria for IoM accredited Master Butchers is rigorous and applications are invited only from very experienced and skilful butchers. Past CEO, Chief Moderator and Fellow of the Institute of Meat, Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), awarded this honour to the following butchers:

Bill Jermey, Chairman of the Institute of Meat and instigator of the Master Butcher programme, added,

‘In Butchers Hall today we have brought together talented people from across the whole career spectrum – new apprentices to seasoned industry professionals. Creating this opportunity to make lasting connections is an important aspect of the Annual Prizegiving and one that I hope our winners take full advantage of.’

Rounding off a special day of celebrations was the inauguration of three new Fellows of The Institute of Meat: Gywn Howells, Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, Paul Miles from the Booker Group, and Paul Cadman from Crosby Management Training.

For more information about the IoM/WCB Annual Prizegiving, or the IoM Master Butcher programme, in the first instance please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, info@instituteofmeat.org