Our future leaders, representing 21 different Scottish Local Authority catering and cleaning services, gathered today for a closing ceremony at the ASSIST FM Autumn Seminar.

After successfully piloting  the Muller Milk & Ingredients ASSIST FM Scholarship in association with Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HITS) scholarship programme in 2024, this fabulous scholarship was a mixture of in-person and online learning designed to give the skills to be a great manager such as Learning to Lead, Resilience & Mental Wellness.

ASSIST FM sought to replicate this model for cleaning service teams. In response, ASSIST FM worked with  British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) and developed a suite of tailored online courses, enabling candidates to complete training at their own pace. The curriculum addressed key topics such as environmental considerations, ethical and effective product purchasing, the role of robotics, the science behind cleaning, conducting meaningful building inspections, calculating required cleaning hours from building plans, and other essential elements for delivering comprehensive cleaning services. The curriculum was further supported by two days of face-to-face leadership sessions delivered by We Are Extraordinary Training.

The overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants and continued support from the Suppliers ensured the continuation of the scholarship into 2025, today was a proud moment for 37 scholars who attended the closing ceremony at the ASSIST FM Autumn Seminar. The closing ceremony and presentation of certificates was conducted by Nicky Joiner, Chair of ASSIST FM, who congratulated all our scholars on their success, she also expressed thanks to training partners and to  the generous support of our fantastic Local Government suppliers, including Muller Milk & Ingredients , Alliance Local, Unico Direct, Instock, Bunzl, Arrow County Supplies, and GMC Corsehill whom without their support this would not  have been possible.

The feedback has been exceptional, and Nicky wished all our scholars the best of luck as they take their new skills back into their workplace.

Jayne Jones, chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance and former chair of ASSIST FM, has announced that she will step down from the role in the new year with vice chair Anita Brown taking over the position.

In early 2026 Jones will be starting a new role as the inaugural chief executive of the Scottish Food Commission, which aims to ensure that the good food nation plans align with national priorities and public interest.

The Commission will play a crucial role in shaping Scotland’s food policy, will be scrutinising and making recommendations on good food nation plans, as well as conducting research and providing advice to Scottish ministers.

Commenting on the news, Jones said: “I’m immensely proud of the progress and improvements we have made collectively to the public food system, and in highlighting its reputation and its value to key decision makers in Scotland and the UK, and I’m very grateful to my team and colleagues for all of their support, challenge and commitment.

“Together, I hope we have made a positive difference to those we serve, and to our caterers who work so hard each and every day serving meals to children and young people, patients, visitors and staff, those in care homes, in prisons and in our university and colleges.

“I’ll also be handing over the reins of the Public Sector Catering Alliance to the immensely capable and talented Anita Brown, who will step into the role of chair – I know that she will take the organisation from strength to strength.”

The Public Sector Catering Alliance is the umbrella organisation for meal providers working in schools, hospitals, care settings, universities, prisons and the military. It also supports the caterers of tomorrow through catering colleges throughout the UK.

It aims to foster collaboration among them on issues of mutual concern and serves as a focus for joint action, including liaison with Government, on topics such as procurement, food standards and sustainability.

In her time as chair, Jones has repeatedly lobbied to have the Alliance given a seat at the Food and Drink Sector Council table and, more recently, challenged Defra to include the Alliance on its new Food Strategy Board. In both cases, she argues, that the public sector is not represented but should be.

Every year £5bn is spent on food in the public sector, which serves more than 2bn meals in hospitals, schools, prisons, and care homes. It is estimated a quarter of the 69m people in the UK eat at least one public sector meal a year, while many school-age children regularly get a third of their daily nutrition through public procurement.

Jones added: “I hope to bring to this new challenge what I’ve learned over that time, as well as my drive and determination to create shifts towards a more sustainable, ethical, just and inclusive food system for everyone in Scotland, the UK and beyond. I’m looking forward to learning from other actors across the food system and to building an organisation that is values led, innovative and future focussed.

“There is a lot to do – and I’m looking forward to getting started, and to building on the strong relationships that are already firmly in place across the food system, as well as helping to bridge new ones in the coming months and years.”

The Public Sector Catering Alliance will start its search for the next vice chair of the organisation in December.

Gary Borthwick from West Lothian Council was presented with the Special Recognition Award by ASSIST FM chair Nicky Joiner when the organisation held its annual awards night dinner in Glasgow on May 16th.

It was a night of celebration for members of ASSIST FM, which represents facilities management service teams supporting all 32 local authorities in Scotland.

Also announced was Scottish Local Authority Cook of The Year, the winner this year being Carolyn McGregor of Tayside Contracts.

Her winning meal, together with those of the other finalists, was the inspiration for the three-course dinner served at the awards night event and the chefs were involved in the kitchens at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the day to help prepare the food.

The full list of winners was:

Outstanding Contribution to Cleaning (Sponsored by Nilfisk)

Winner: Dumfries and Galloway Cleaning Team

Outstanding Contribution to FM Services (Sponsored by Muller Milk & Ingredients)

Winner: David McCallum, Fife Council

Digital & Technology Award (Sponsored by McCain Foods)

Winner Tom Crawford, West Lothian Council

Sustainability Award (Sponsored by Muller Milk & Ingredients)

  • Winner: Christine Boyle, Argyle & Bute Council

Community Focus Award (Sponsored by McCain Foods)

  • Winner: Emma Currie, Dumfries & Galloway Council

Outstanding Contribution to Catering Services Award (Sponsored by Muller Milk & Ingredients)

  • Winner: Linda Quinn, Glasgow City Council

Scottish Local Authority Cook of The Year (Sponsored by Brakes)

  • Winner: Carolyn McGregor, Tayside Contracts
  • Runner Up: Gemma Stewart, East Ayrshire Council
  • Third place: Carly Johnston, Dumfries & Galloway Council

Special Recognition Award

  • Winner: Gary Borthwick, West Lothian Council

Supplier Award

  • Winner: Muller Milk & Ingredients
The ASSIST FM annual conference delivered an emotional punch to delegates in Glasgow yesterday (May 15th) with a series of presentations looking at mental health, resilience, and teaching early years children how to cook.

Nicky Joiner, chair of the organisation that supports FM providers working across Scotland’s 32 local authorities, welcomed catering and cleaning teams, as well as suppliers to a packed Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Former chair Chris Ross was this year’s conference host, kicking off the programme with Jack Nolan, who told his own story of low self-esteem and a later bipolar diagnosis before discovering a calling in inspiring others to overcome their own anxieties. He told his audience to treat struggles and setbacks not as barriers but as opportunities to grow.

The conference then heard about an early years programme in East Renfrewshire that is teaching very young children about healthy eating, fruit and vegetables, hygiene, and sharing stories.

Called Mini Master Chefs, the early years programme signed up ten nurseries initially, later expanding to take in a further 26, after winning funding from the local health and social care partnership and support from campaign group Nourish.

Five children from Overlee dressed in chef’s whites and black-and-white check hats came on stage with headteacher Ana Castro and catering manager Beth Hilton to join the presentation.

Ana said all 50 children at the nursery had participated in the programme, getting the chance to taste new vegetables and fruit, learning to slice and dice, and were guided through recipes to make dishes such as Vegetable Cheesy Pancakes.

When the children were asked their favourite they said pizza, though Ana assured everyone the recipe included lots of vegetables.

Professor Don Bundy talked about the international School Meals Coalition of 108 countries, all of which had recognised the value of investing in school meals programmes. He said there was overwhelming evidence that these influenced children’s educational at school, benefited their health in later life and supported farmers.

He pointed out that the UK had not yet signed up the coalition, even though it had a long history of school meal provision and could contribute a lot of experience and expertise.

He said there was a ‘drop in’ session planned at Westminster to persuade MP’s of the value of signing up to join the coalition.

And the day’s conference session concluded with Aaron Phipps the Paralympian, who told the story of how meningitis had meant his legs had had to be amputated at the knee when he was just 15.

He spoke about his reaction to such a massive setback in life, and how he had set himself a series of challenges, in the course of which he won a gold medal for Team GB at wheelchair rugby and then became the first double amputee to climb Mount Kilimanjaro unaided.

He concluded that, after much reflection, his was less a tale of self-reliance and resilience but more one of knowing when to accept the support, love and encouragement he got from family and friends.