Plumpton Butchery Apprentice Named One of UK’s Best at London Awards Ceremony

Plumpton College is proud to announce that their butchery apprentice Joe Wadey has been crowned Best Independent Retailer Meat Apprentice at the national Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers Annual Prizegiving.

The ceremony, held on February 26th at the historic Butchers’ Hall in London, is the pinnacle of the meat industry calendar. Joe Wadey ,who is honing his craft at Flanagans Butchers, beat talented apprentices from across the country to secure this award.

In front of a record audience of over 150 invited guests Joe Wadey was presented with a certificate of achievement by IoM Chief Executive Dave Smith (F.Inst.M) and Gwyn Howells, Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers. Along with the title, they received a £250 prize and a year’s honorary membership of the Institute of Meat.

The Annual Prizegiving, a cornerstone of the meat industry, is designed to recognise and reward the achievements of butchery apprentices, their training providers and employers. Nominations are vetted by a panel of industry experts, with only 12 categories awarded nationwide. The event is also where the next generation of Institute of Meat accredited Master Butchers is revealed.

Commenting on this years’ awards, Dave Smith, CEO and Fellow of the Institute of Meat and a Master Butcher since 2014 said,

‘Huge congratulations to Joe Wadey and also of course to Plumpton College and Flanagans Butchers. Achieving this award has meant an exceptional amount of hard work and dedication from all three!

It’s fantastic to be celebrating today with our biggest ever audience. This is proof positive that there is a real buzz around the meat industry at the moment. Joe is part of a forward thinking, innovative industry. With the continued support of their training provider and employer I am sure they will have a future just as bright as the industry itself.’

Henry Martin, from Plumpton College, who trained Joe said;

‘We are incredibly proud to see Joe recognised on a national stage. This award is a testament to their dedication, but it also speaks to the quality of our training for the butchery apprenticeship here at Plumpton College. We strive to provide our apprentices with the skills required to thrive in a modern industry, and seeing our students stand among the best in the country at Butchers' Hall is the ultimate reward.’

For information about the IoM/WCB Annual Prizegiving, or how to nominate an apprentice, please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, at info@instituteofmeat.org.

To find out more about butchery apprenticeship training in the locality contact business@plumpton.ac.uk.

Category: College News