The Community Partnerships Awards 2010 announced their shortlist today and meat producer and supplier Hughes Meats of Bangor, North Wales is amongst those nominated for an award.
The prestigious Community Partnership Awards 2010, in association with the Local Government Chronicle and the Health Service Journal, focus on recognising the understated achievements of community partnerships.
Hughes Meats, in partnership with Conwy County Borough Council, Denbighshire County Council, Wrexham County Borough Council, Flintshire County Council, SNUPI and foodservice company Woodward's were nominated in the Best Procurement Partnership category for their contract to supply locally sourced Welsh lamb and beef to school children in four of the six counties in North Wales.
Following a competitive tendering process conforming to EC tendering regulations, Hughes Meats was awarded a contract in March this year by SNUPI on behalf of four local authorities in North Wales, to supply meat to approximately 300 schools, serving over 25,000 meals each day.
The contract involves Hughes Meats sourcing, cutting and packing meat from local farms which is then delivered to the schools by Woodward's of Bodelwyddan. Geraint Hughes, the Managing Director of Hughes Meats, sources local meat personally by buying directly from livestock auctions with the animals then being slaughtered in Llanrwst.
Paul Williams, Quality Assurance Manager at Hughes Meats, said “We take great pride in sourcing the meat ourselves and in the fact that it is fully traceable back to the farm. Hughes Meats are PGI certified for both Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef which means that the animals are born, reared and slaughtered in Wales. We are absolutely delighted that we are able to bring local meat to the majority of schoolchildren in North Wales”.
“We are extremely pleased that the hard work of all the partners involved in getting this contract off the ground has been recognised with a nomination for a Community Partnership Award. We know that we will face stiff competition in the final for this award but the nomination itself is an accolade for all us involved in this contract” he continued.
The final of the Community Partnership Awards 2010 will be held on 4th February 2010 at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
