Children’s charity Oakland Foundation marked the retirement of Grant Application Coordinator Debbie Roberts by hosting a celebratory lunch in her honour.

Presenting Debbie with an engraved lead crystal vase, gift voucher and flowers, charity founders and Oakland International co-founders Dean and Sallie Attwell thanked her for her support and dedication to the work of the charity since its inception.

Dean Attwell commented: “Debbie’s unwavering dedication and passion have been instrumental in helping Oakland Foundation make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families. Her commitment has inspired us all, and we are deeply grateful for her help, support, and friendship over the years.

“While Debbie is retiring from her official role, she remains a valued friend as the charity continues to move forward.”

As Debbie retires from her role, Mark Williams, a longstanding trustee, takes on the additional role of Grant Application Coordinator. Mark’s experience and deep understanding of the charity’s mission will ensure a smooth transition and continuity for the Foundation’s ongoing work.

Debbie initially served as a trustee on the charity’s board, later returning to undertake the newly created role of Grant Application Coordinator, supporting grant applicants through to programme delivery.

Said Mark: “Debbie has played a pivotal role within the Foundation, supporting countless children and their families through her commitment and expertise in grant management and community engagement. All Foundation trustees extend our heartfelt thanks to Debbie for her outstanding contributions and we wish her all the best in her retirement.”

Oakland Foundation’s primary focus is to support children under the age of 16 and their families through a range of educational and youth projects centred on education, health and nutrition, and sport, ensuring that all children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can participate and thrive.

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Images: Debbie Roberts with Mark Williams Oakland Foundation’s newly appointed Grant Application Coordinator. Dean Attwell with Debbie Roberts.

Editor’s notes: The Oakland Foundation aims to reduce child poverty through its work in the areas of Health and Nutrition, Education and Sport.

Charity contact details:       Oakland Foundation Limited UK: +44 (0) 1527 596 222

For all enquiries please contact Kathryn Watts m: 07970 547469 e: k.watts@evopr.com – If you do not wish to continue to receive press releases in the future, please let me know and I will remove your address from my distribution group.

 

The June Members Meeting brought Coalition partners together in London and online to align on the insights needed to drive a more sustainable, energy-efficient cold chain.

Members shared progress from current trials and data collection efforts, including:

• FROSTEQ and Wageningen Food & Biobased Researc: analysing how changes to temperature setpoints affect the full supply chain.
• A.P. Moller – Maersk: monitoring temperature variation and its impact on logistics and emissions.
• Ndustrial: using smart tech to track and forecast product temperatures in real time.

 

These efforts are strengthening our shared evidence base, informing protocol development, and helping define a path to implementation.

 

Next Member Meeting: September in Wageningen, hosted by FROSTEQ, and will continue to build momentum around collaborative data gathering, system design, and measurable impact.

 

There are practical ways to get involved:

• Every Degree Counts: Optimise current freezing temperatures where possible, monitor progress, and contribute data to help track energy and carbon savings.
• Pilot: Participate in real-world trials using the Move to -15°C Protocol.

 

To join a pilot or workstream, contact minus15@edelman.com or reach out to Rupert directly.

Porky Whites – a Surrey-based Premium Sausage and formed meat manufacturer and BFFF member, has won the award for Best Free-From Product for our Cumberland Swirl Pork Sausages (Gluten-Free) at the 2025 Food Management Today (FMT) Awards.

 

Porky Whites were also finalists in two other categories including:

• Best Frozen Product for our Mediterranean Meatballs
• Best Poultry Product for our Bang Bang Chicken and Lamb Kebabs

Hosted at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London, the glittering awards lunch brought together many of the leading voices, brands and manufacturing to celebrate the UK’s best in class food and beverage products.

 

In response to the win Managing Director and third generation owner of Porky Whites Francesca Wyatt said, “We’ve had a long and proud history of creating category-leading innovation and this award is testament to the drive and determination to deliver the very best products. Our Cumberland Swirls are all part of our Wholesale and Food Service offering and I’m thrilled to see them get the recognition they deserve!”

 

The Food Management Today Awards continue a year to remember for Porky Whites following successes at the 2024 Meat Management Awards for Britian’s Best Burger,

2024’s UK Sausage Week for the UK’s Best Pork Sausage and Supreme Sausage Champion, 2024’s Women in Meat Awards and 2025’s Dynamic Awards where Francesca Wyatt won Wholesale Businesswomen of the Year and Large Business of the Year respectively.

Relevant links:

• All the 2025 FMT winners

https://fmtfoodawards.com/

• UK Sausage Week 2024 Winners
  https://uksausageweek.com/awards-winners/
• 2024 Meat Management Awards Winners
  https://meatmanagement.com/awards/mm-awards-results-your-2024-winners-and-finalists/83930.article
• 2024 Women in Meat Winners

https://womeninmeatawards.com/winners/

 

About Porky Whites
Porky Whites is multi award-winning family-run and owned food manufacturer. We have been bringing families to the table with our premium sausages and formed meats for over 90 years and supply the UK’s major supermarkets and a range of Wholesale and Food Services businesses.

 

Based in the heart of Surrey, we pride ourselves on producing premium pork and meat products that reflect traditional craftsmanship, while embracing modern standards of sustainability and customer satisfaction.

 

For further information and for all media relations enquiries please contact Paul Van Wymeersch, Head of Marketing at Porky Whites – paul@porkywhites.co.uk

 

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PackUK has published the 2025 base fees for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme, ahead of the first invoices in October 2025.

 

Nearly all fees have reduced compared with the illustrative base fees published in December, with glass down by 20 per cent.

 

The 2025 base fees are calculated using packaging tonnages reported by producers for 2024 and local authority waste management costs. The methodology has been rigorously tested with stakeholders including producers, compliance schemes, and local authorities.

 

Alongside the confirmed base fees, PackUK has also published the Modulation Policy Statement, which outlines how fees will be adjusted from 2026 onwards to incentivise the use of more recyclable packaging.

 

Producers can access further guidance on the gov.uk website to understand how these fees will affect their businesses.

 

PackUK will also be holding a Base Fees themed webinar on Thursday 10 July 2025 – You can sign-up to register your attendance.

The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has been named Best Trade Organisation at this year’s Food Management Today Industry Awards, marking a major recognition of our continued leadership, innovation and advocacy for the frozen food sector.

 

This is the second time BFFF has received the prestigious accolade, having previously won in 2023. The award, which celebrates excellence across the UK’s food manufacturing and retail industries, is voted for by industry peers and reflects our outstanding work in representing the interests of its members and driving the frozen food agenda forward.

 

The 2025 Food Management Today Industry Awards took place on June 26 in London and brought together leading names from across the sector to honour innovation, service and performance.

 

Rupert Ashby, chief executive of the BFFF, said: “We are honoured to be named Best Trade Organisation again. This award is a testament to the passion, expertise and commitment of our entire team and membership. Over the past year, we’ve continued to champion the benefits of frozen food, influence policy, and provide real value to our members through events, insight and advocacy.

 

“Frozen food has a huge amount to offer in terms of offering people nutritious, affordable and convenient meal solutions – with an increasingly impressive diversity of choice and level of quality – as well as helping cut food waste. We’re incredibly proud to be the industry’s flag bearer at a time when it’s so important that we shout about these benefits.”

 

The award comes at a time of change for the frozen food industry, as supply chain disruption and regulatory change continue to cause challenges, and a potential move away from the long-established temperature standard of -18 degrees could be around the corner. The BFFF has been a key source of insight and support for businesses right across the frozen food supply chain.

Defra have today (27.06.25) issued the following reminder to industry:

If you are moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme, and those goods are in scope of Phases 1, 2 or 3, they must be individually labelled ‘not for EU’.

If goods are moved without the appropriate labelling they will be rejected. We intend to partially reject unlabelled goods where it is practically viable to do so to ensure that eligible goods may continue to move to their intended destination. If your goods are rejected, you will be contacted by DAERA to inform you of this decision and asked to make the necessary arrangements at your own cost to return your good(s) to Great Britain.

You can find guidance on Phase 3 labelling requirements here: Labelling requirements for certain products moving from Great Britain to retail premises in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme – GOV.UK

For any other queries regarding ‘not for EU’ labelling which cannot be answered through the guidance please contact our mailbox: ni.trade@defra.gov.uk

Dr Andy Kemp FIH MBE, Executive Director at Bidfood – one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers – will retire at the end of June after more than 20 years with the business and a remarkable career spanning over four decades.

Widely recognised as one of the most influential figures in UK Foodservice and Hospitality, Andy’s retirement marks the end of a pioneering career that has left a lasting impact on the industry.

Recently named Outstanding Supplier Personality of the Year at The Caterer’s Supplier Awards, Andy is celebrated not only for his commercial leadership, but also for his unwavering commitment to social impact – from tackling food insecurity to nurturing the next generation of industry talent.

During his tenure, Andy has been instrumental in shaping Bidfood’s customer and community strategies, spearheading initiatives with government, education providers, and charities that have driven positive, transformative change across the UK.

Since joining Bidfood in 2000, he has championed critical issues such as holiday hunger, universal infant free school meals, and nutritional standards in Education. His tireless campaigning has helped secure better outcomes for vulnerable children while pushing for systemic improvement within public sector catering.

Beyond his work at Bidfood, Andy has been a dedicated supporter of industry charities including Springboard and Hospitality Action. He has played a pivotal role in the Chaine des Rôtisseurs’ Young Chefs and Young Sommeliers’ National Awards, earning the organisation’s highest honour, Paré de Chaine. He also supports FutureChef, the Michael Caines Academy, and is co-founder and Board member of the One and All Foundation.

A particular point of pride in Andy’s career has been serving as the grantee and Royal Household liaison for Bidfood’s Royal Warrant of Appointment – an honour the company has held for over 25 years. Reappointed by His Majesty King Charles III in December 2024, the Warrant recognises Bidfood’s excellence in supplying the Royal Household. Andy recently passed the grantee responsibility to Bidfood UK CEO, Andrew Selley.

While he is stepping back from his executive role, Andy will remain a passionate advocate for the sector through his ongoing work with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), the Local Authority Catering Association (LACA), and the University of West London.

Gavin Squires, currently Business Development Controller for Healthcare, Education and Consortia, will continue to build on Andy’s legacy, championing better funding and support for school meals and holiday hunger in the education sector.

Looking ahead to more time with his wife and family, Andy leaves behind a powerful legacy that will continue to shape the future of the Hospitality industry.

Commenting on his retirement, Andy said:

“It’s been an extraordinary journey – one that’s taken me from the shop floor to the corridors of Parliament, always with a passion for making a difference.

“I’ve been privileged to work alongside some of the most dedicated and inspiring people in this industry, and to fight for causes that truly matter – from child nutrition to supporting future talent.

“The foodservice sector is more than a job; it’s a community, a family, and a force for good. I feel incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved together.”

Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidfood UK, said:

“Andy has been a key figure in our business and one of our longest-serving directors, as well as a passionate advocate for the wider industry.

“His dedication and influence extend far beyond Bidfood. He’s been a voice for fairness, nutrition, and education. We’re incredibly grateful for everything he’s achieved and proud to have worked alongside him. We wish him a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement.”

ENDS

 

For further information, please contact: Olly White, Senior PR Executive, Bidfood

T: 07514313535 or E: oliverwhite@bidfood.co.uk

 

About Bidfood

As one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, we share our customers’ passion for great food.

But our passion doesn’t stop there. We are also 100% dedicated to delivering service excellence to help our customers succeed and grow.

 

• Our over 10,000 strong product range includes the best of both own brand and leading foodservice brands.
• Our 27 depots, soon to be 28, operating right across the UK allow us to offer a truly unique local service – and the majority of our depot teams are no more than 80 miles away from their customers.
• We offer a comprehensive range of over 250 carefully selected wines, beers, ciders and spirits.
• We don’t stop at just food and drink. We also provide a range of quality catering equipment, from cutlery to cookware, cleaning and disposables.

 

www.bidfood.co.uk / 01494 555 900