Catering Partnerships for School
Gary started developing the “Feeding our Future” project over 20 years ago and has worked closely with schools throughout Hackney, Haringey, Tower Hamlets, Essex and Cambridgeshire, some initially on a consultancy basis but subsequently on a contract catering arrangement. He has been heavily involved with improving school meals’ initiatives and healthy eating, working with the School Food Trust, Health Education Trust, Garden Organic and the Soil Association as well as working with PSFPI, EFFP, DEFRA, EEDA and LANTRA promoting local sourcing and the agri food sector.
'Feeding Our Future'
Gary started developing the “Feeding our Future” project over 20 years ago and has worked closely with schools throughout Hackney, Haringey, Tower Hamlets, Essex and Cambridgeshire, some initially on a consultancy basis but subsequently on a contract catering arrangement.
He has been heavily involved with improving school meals’ initiatives and healthy eating, working with the School Food Trust, Health Education Trust, Garden Organic and the Soil Association as well as working with PSFPI, EFFP, DEFRA, EEDA and LANTRA promoting local sourcing and the agri food sector.
Grounded in the belief that we work in complete partnership with the school and with the ethos that together with can make a real impact and a considerable difference in the whole school meal experience, we strive to maintain throughout an adherence to the moral and ethical principles on which Ashlyns is founded, and our team of professional staff, in touch with educational issues facing schools today, work to forge effective relationships with school staff to attain our mutual goals.
A commitment to using locally sourced, organic where possible, and environmentally sound raw ingredients for our meals cooked entirely on school premises is at the heart of our vision, and our practice.
Our children deserve great school dinners they enjoy eating and that are healthy as well. We work with schools in innovative ways to ensure that children are not only fed well but are food wise too.
Food tasting sessions with parents, assemblies, sessions in class are all part of our whole school approach.
Menus
A basic menu is designed by Ashlyns and then after a consultation with the school, school council or any other interested group changes will be made. The menu will be a three week rotating menu that is changed twice a year to help with seasonality as well as weather.
The menus are analysed to meet the School Food Plan with allergen and nutritional information is provided via QR codes on each menu
Ingredients
Ashlyns will source all products on the school's behalf.
The vast majority of products will come direct from Ashlyns' food hub except for the dry goods which will come directly from a nominated local supplier. We try to use Red Tractor Farm Assured produce wherever possible with all our meat being freshly prepared daily in our on site butchery
Staff
Ashlyns will employ all catering staff where possible. If the staff are currently employed by the school our Operations Managers will line manage them with the assistance of our HR Department.
Bespoke training is provided on site for all staff
Cost
There is a flat annual management fee.
The true cost of running the service can only be assessed by completing a provisional budget. This will take into account staff costs, food costs, sundries, paid income and free school meal allowances. This will also forecast expected meal uptake and provide goals and targets to work towards.