Training intensifies as route planning and Ireland scouting visit begins

Thousands of pounds have already been pledged for a remarkable charity challenge that will see 21‑year‑old Samuel Attwell attempt to run the length of Ireland in just 10 days, and with two months to go, preparation has entered its toughest phase.

Samuel, who will run almost 350 miles from Malin Head to Mizen Head this May, has already secured over £15,000 in early donations and sponsorship, giving his campaign a powerful head start towards his £50,000 target for children’s charity Molly Ollys.

Samuel’s father, Oakland International Co-Founder Dean Attwell commented: “Samuel’s courage, determination, and compassion shine through in every step of this challenge. What he’s undertaking goes far beyond a test of endurance, it’s a show of solidarity with families facing the unimaginable, and a powerful message of hope for children and parents in crisis.

“Oakland International is incredibly proud to support him, and we encourage other businesses and individuals to rally behind Samuel and help make a truly meaningful difference.”

With fundraising momentum building, Samuel’s focus has now shifted firmly to the physical and logistical demands of one of Ireland’s most punishing endurance routes.

“Training is going well, but it’s brutal”

Samuel is currently undertaking back‑to‑back long‑distance runs designed to replicate the strain of completing an ultramarathon every day for 10 consecutive days.

“Training is going well, but there’s no sugar‑coating it, it’s brutal,” said Samuel. “Running miles day after day pushes you physically and mentally. But every tough session reminds me why I’m doing this and who it’s for.”

Communities along the route in focus

As well as physical training, a dedicated planning team is working behind the scenes on logistics, safety and community engagement along the route, which will take Samuel through towns and rural communities across Donegal, Derry, Leitrim, Longford, Offaly, Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and West Cork.

A training and route‑scouting visit to Ireland is planned in the coming days, where Samuel and his support team will assess road conditions, elevation, rest points and local access, while also meeting supporters and potential community partners along the way.

The visit is expected to play a key role in finalising daily stages and ensuring the challenge is delivered safely and visibly.

Follow Samuel’s Training Journey:
https://www.instagram.com/stories/samuel.attwell/

Running for children who need hope

Samuel is running as an ambassador for Molly Ollys, a UK‑based children’s charity that supports children with life‑threatening and life‑limiting illnesses through the funding of wishes, therapeutic toys and emotional support for families.

About Molly Ollys

Molly Olly’s Wishes (https://mollyolly.co.uk/) was launched by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw in 2011, following the loss of their daughter Molly.

The UK‑based charity supports children with life‑threatening and life‑limiting illnesses through the funding of wishes, therapeutic toys, books and emotional support. Since its launch, Molly Ollys has:

• Supported over 21,500 children
• Granted more than 5,500 wishes
• Distributed over 23,000 Olly The Brave books
• Raised in excess of £5.7 million

The charity works closely with the NHS, supporting projects within hospitals and the community. One flagship project includes the creation and refurbishment of Magnolia House at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, a safe, non‑clinical space for families and medical teams.

Molly Ollys also funded the first ever consultant in paediatric palliative medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in 2018 and subsequently supported the funding of additional consultant roles in the region.

While primarily operating across the UK, Molly Ollys is currently supporting children in Ireland on a small‑scale, not‑for‑profit basis, responding to need as requests for support are received. This includes the supply of Olly The Brave books to Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin and the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, as well as a small number of individual wishes granted to children across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

If successful, Samuel’s £50,000 fundraising target could help deliver up to 100 wishes for seriously ill children and provide thousands of comfort items to families at their most difficult moments.

Momentum building ahead of May start

The challenge will begin on 18th May, with Samuel aiming to complete the route by 27th May, sharing daily updates, GPS tracking and behind‑the‑scenes footage throughout the journey.

With early donations already secured, organisers hope the next phase, increased visibility across Ireland and the UK, will drive further public support.

Added Samuel: “This run isn’t just about endurance, it’s about bringing people together, especially the communities I’ll be running through, to help children who desperately need hope.”

How to support

Donations and updates can be found at:
www.justgiving.com/page/samrunsireland

Molly Ollys relies on the generosity of companies and individuals to continue its work and welcomes the opportunity to share more about its impact.

For further information, please contact Rachel Ollerenshaw on +44 (0) 7747 854914.

 

Bidfood, one of the UK’s leading food wholesalers, has launched a dedicated pub webpage packed with tools to help tenanted and leased pubs tackle rising costs and tighten margins.

The launch reinforces Bidfood’s commitment to supporting pubs as a true partner in navigating increasing financial pressures, as the industry continues to assess the impact of the government’s recent U-turn on business rates for pubs. While the move offers some relief, pressure remains high, with continued uncertainty across the sector.

Built by Bidfood’s Marketing, Chef, Sales and Digital Teams, the new page brings together valuable tools, insight and support designed specifically for pubs operating under lease and tenancy agreements, making it easier to access help in one place that reflects how these businesses run.

Prior to the government’s announcement, UKHospitality estimated that up to 540 pubs could close in 2026[i], highlighting the scale of the challenge facing pub operators. As pubs continue to adapt to economic and structural challenges, Bidfood’s latest launch reinforces its long-term commitment to working alongside every type of pub, whether they be tenanted, leased or independent gastropubs, supporting the vital role they play in local communities and the wider hospitality supply chain.

The new webpage builds on the launch of Bidfood’s innovative ‘Interactive Pub’ in February 2025, an immersive digital platform with more than 50 interactive tools, guides and insights to help pubs streamline operations, manage costs and adapt to current market conditions.

The new webpages are built around three clear areas:

Expert support for pubs of all sizes: All-in-one support for pubs of every size, with quick and easy access to 10,000+ products and 24/7 online ordering, sector experts, and the Interactive Pub, helping businesses to run smarter and more efficiently.

Championing pub growth:  Alongside recipe inspiration from Bidfood’s Development Chefs, there’s also access to Bidfood’s comprehensive collection of support tools and resources. This includes Bidfood’s industry support hub, Unlock Your Menu, with menu engineering tips and guidance on managing inflationary pressures, as well as tailored support for takeaway, delivery and dark kitchen operations.

Key market drivers:  Sharing insight into key industry changes and challenges, and the latest sector trends. This also includes Caterers Campus, Bidfood’s free online training programme, which provides access to more than 30 expert-written modules to support staff development. By helping pubs upskill teams in-house, the platform can deliver significant cost savings, potentially up to £1,590^[ii] per employee per year, while strengthening service, retention and long-term growth.

Chris Palethorpe, Client Director for Pubs at Bidfood, said: “Tenanted and leased pubs are under sustained pressure, with rising costs on multiple fronts and very little room for error. At a time when so many pubs are navigating incredibly challenging trading conditions, it’s more important than ever that they feel supported to not just keep their doors open, but to continue playing their role at the heart of communities.

“These new webpages are designed to make it easier for customers to access practical advice, tools and support in one place. As a trusted partner providing reliable support, quality products and tailored solutions, we’re committed to helping pubs not only survive but truly thrive at this difficult time.”

To access Bidfood’s latest pub webpage, please visit: https://www.bidfood.co.uk/pubs/leased-and-tenanted-support/

We’re thrilled to share that Meadow Vale will be making our fourth appearance at this year’s at the Excel Centre in London. Widely recognised as “The Ultimate Business Event for Food & Drink Product Discovery,” this flagship industry gathering will take place from Monday 30th March to Wednesday 1st April at the Excel Centre in London.

Each year, the event brings together the very best in innovation, inspiration, and expertise from across the food and drink sector, with 2026 set to be bigger than ever. With a record-breaking 25,000 visitors expected across the three days, the exhibition promises unparalleled opportunities to connect, collaborate and explore the latest trends shaping the industry.

From exciting new product launches to thought-provoking discussions, it’s always a highlight of our calendar.

Spotlight on Innovation

The annual IFE show provides the perfect stage for us to champion innovation and demonstrate how we continue to deliver standout solutions for foodservice operators. Taking centre stage this year are our double award-winning Meadow Vale Boneless Chicken Wings.

Recognised for their exceptional taste, texture and quality, these wings have quickly become a go-to menu hero for operators looking to offer bold flavour with reliable consistency. Each boneless wing is crafted to deliver a satisfyingly hearty crunch and succulent bite, with consistent sizing to ensure confidence in presentation and portion control.

Their versatility makes them ideal for everything from street food concepts and sharing platters to loaded fries, wraps and premium bar menus. Each product has been developed with operators firmly in mind, delivering standout flavour, strong visual appeal and dependable performance in busy kitchen environments.

From sharing platters and street food concepts to classic comfort dishes and globally inspired menus, our range offers the versatility today’s foodservice sector demands. Whether you’re refreshing an existing menu or developing something new, Meadow Vale provides innovative chicken solutions designed to help you stand out,and we’d love to show you how at our stand.

All Roads Lead To London

We couldn’t be more excited to be returning to IFE and connecting with so many industry professionals once again. Events like this are a fantastic opportunity to share ideas, spark new partnerships and, of course, serve up plenty of seriously tasty chicken.

For the second-year running, we’ll be bringing along our impressive double-decker street food stand, designed to welcome even more visitors! The expanded space means we’ll be able to host more conversations, showcase more innovation and give out more samples than ever before.

Whether you’re keen to explore our latest product launches, discuss new opportunities, or simply stop by for a taste, we’d love to see you there. We’re looking forward to seeing you at IFE and making this our best year yet!

For years, manufacturing transformation has been framed as a technology problem. More data. Better systems. Smarter analytics. Yet productivity growth across Europe remains stubbornly slow, despite record investment in digital tools. The uncomfortable truth is this. Most factories are not short of technology. They are short of adoption.

According to the OECD, Europe’s productivity gap is driven less by access to new technologies and more by the slow and uneven way existing tools are embedded into daily work. The biggest gains come not from breakthrough innovation, but from better diffusion. In other words, helping people use what they already have more effectively. This is where operators come in. And where many transformation programmes quietly fall down.

The people closest to the work see the problems first

Lean thinking has long been clear on this point. The Lean Enterprise Institute’s core principle of “go see, ask why, show respect” is not philosophical. It is practical. The people doing the work understand variation, disruption and loss before it appears in a report.

Operators know when materials are inconsistent. They know when a changeover will struggle. They know which faults are repeat offenders. And they know this in real time.

Yet in many factories, this insight never becomes visible. Data is collected, but context is missing. Performance is reviewed, but too late. Operators are asked to hit targets, but rarely given the tools to explain why those targets were missed.

Why digital transformations stall on the shop floor

The World Economic Forum has been explicit about why so many manufacturing transformations fail. Digital tools are often designed for analysts, not for operators. Data exists, but it is siloed, historical or disconnected from daily routines. When insight arrives days or weeks after the event, it no longer changes behaviour. It becomes commentary, not control. What operators need is not more dashboards. They need clarity in the moment decisions are being made. What is happening now? Why it is happening? What can be done about it?

Operator-led performance is not a soft idea

There is a persistent myth that focusing on operators is about engagement rather than performance. In reality, it is about speed, accuracy and confidence.

Factories that treat operators as the primary source of operational insight move faster. Problems are identified earlier. Decisions are made closer to the line. Improvement becomes routine, not reactive.

This is exactly the gap the OECD highlights. Productivity improves when knowledge flows to where decisions are made, not when insight is trapped in reports reviewed far from the process.

From data collection to operational intelligence

The opportunity now is to connect real time data with operator knowledge. Not to replace experience, but to amplify it.

When operators can see performance clearly, explain loss as it happens, and ask better questions of the organisation, something important shifts. Conversations move from blame to cause. From opinion to evidence. From firefighting to learning.

That is when performance becomes repeatable.

The most underused asset is already on the payroll

Manufacturing does not need fewer people and more systems. It needs systems that respect how people work.

The factories that will outperform over the next decade will be those that stop treating operators as data inputs and start treating them as operational experts. Supported by real time insight. Embedded in daily routines. Trusted to lead improvement.

The technology already exists. The people already exist. The question is whether organisations are ready to bring the two together.

At OFS we are creating Centres of Excellence to showcase the businesses embracing innovation. If you would like to find out more contact Thomas Nolan on Thomas@OFSystems.com or apply here

Signatrol’s SL60 dLog is a new range of low cost, miniature button-style temperature or temperature and humidity data loggers, ideal for use in the food industry.

These next generation SL60 data loggers work with Signatrol’s TempIT5 software and offer more readings that its predecessor with a wider range of accuracy and resolution, increased battery life of up to three years and a cheaper price. The system also allows users to read data even if the battery is exhausted.

All SL60 products are self-contained and easy to use. As a result, they are suitable for food production, distribution, and storage. Both the SL62T (£149) and the SL63T (£180) are made with FDA-approved food safe material and are fully sealed to IP68 meaning they can be fully submersed without the need for protective enclosures. Communication to the data logger is provided by the latest NFC technology. The SL63T has an improved operating range of -40°C to +125°C making it ideal for food producers who wish to log the temperature of finished products during the freezing process post-cook.

‘A’ version of the SL60 range comes complete with a UKAS ISO 17025 traceable calibration certificate, while it is optional on other data loggers in the range.

Signatrol is offering the new SL60 in a starter kit including either two or five data loggers of your choice, TempIT5-Pro Microsoft Windows Application software, SL60-READER NFC reader and an individual three-point UKAS traceable calibration certificate at default points (A version only).

For more information www.signatrol.com

Automation is gathering pace across the frozen food sector as operators respond to persistent labour shortages and rising throughput demands.  Labour gaps remain a consistent challenge across food‑supply roles, creating real risks to day‑to‑day continuity.  Both government and academic studies highlight automation as one of the most effective ways for operators to strengthen resilience and reduce reliance on increasingly scarce warehouse labour¹.

Yet even the most advanced automated systems still rely on manual handling at key touchpoints – and the equipment used has a direct impact on overall performance.  To get the full benefit of automation, cold stores need handling solutions engineered for precision, reliability and seamless integration.  And that’s where specialist manufacturers like Contact Attachments play a vital role.

Why Attachments Matter in Automated and Semi‑Automated Systems

Automation depends on consistency, and that begins with how every pallet is lifted, aligned and presented.  Attachments designed specifically for cold‑store environments help operators achieve:

• Reliable pallet engagement | precision‑engineered forks and clamps ensure automated systems receive loads exactly as required, reducing stoppages and misalignment
• Fewer manual touchpoints | streamlining repetitive tasks supports smoother, faster automated flows
• Improved uptime | cold‑store‑ready materials and components maintain performance in sub‑zero temperatures
• Future‑ready integration | automation‑compatible designs support sensors, telematics and data‑driven systems.

Retrofitting Older Cold Stores

Most UK cold stores weren’t designed for today’s automated technologies. Industry research shows that much of the UK’s cold‑chain infrastructure is ageing and increasingly being ‘pushed to its limits’, with many facilities requiring significant upgrades to support modern operational demands.² ³

Retrofitting can deliver significant efficiency gains, but only when operators plan for the realities of older infrastructure, including:

1. Space and racking limitations | tighter tolerances mean narrow aisles, older racking or inconsistent pallet sizes can quickly create bottlenecks
2. Manual-automation interfaces | even highly automated sites rely on forklifts for replenishment, exception handling and maintenance.  If manual handling isn’t optimised, automation can’t perform at its best
3. Unsuitable equipment | generic attachments often lack the precision, repeatability and durability required, leading to mis‑picks, downtime or increased maintenance
4. Hybrid operations | people, forklifts and automated systems must work together safely and predictably.

Adaptable Handling: The Backbone of Hybrid Cold Stores

Hybrid environments are now the norm.  Adaptable attachments help operators maintain smooth flow between automated and manual zones, scale throughput during peak periods, improve safety, and protect long‑term investment as automation strategies evolve.

As frozen food demand continues to rise, automation offers a powerful route to greater efficiency and resilience – but only when supported by the right handling equipment.   With more than 50 years of manual handling expertise, Contact Attachments delivers robust, automation‑ready solutions that keep cold stores operating safely, efficiently and reliably.

To discuss your manual handling requirements, contact the team on 01686 611200 or visit www.forklift-attachments.co.uk