ASSIST FM Cleaning Scholarship: Celebrating Future Leaders in Local Authority Cleaning Services

Yesterday marked a proud moment for ASSIST FM as we celebrated the achievements of our group of 18 scholars, each representing a different Scottish Local Authority. These rising stars in Local Authority Cleaning Services came together for their final leadership session, followed by a celebratory lunch and closing ceremony, kindly hosted by Fife Council at the beautiful Glen Pavilion in Dunfermline.

A Day of Growth and Reflection

The final leadership session, led by Lisa Rogers from We Are Extraordinary Training, focused on Building Resilience and Wellbeing. This impactful session was the perfect conclusion to a 12-week programme designed and delivered by our British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) training partners.

The programme combined online learning with practical application, covering essential topics such as:

Denise Hanson, BICSc’s Commercial Director, supported each scholar throughout the programme, which included content tailored to address the unique challenges of Local Authority Cleaning Services.

Honouring Success

During the closing ceremony, Chris Ross, Chair of ASSIST FM, presented certificates to the scholars, commending their dedication and achievements. He also extended heartfelt thanks to our incredible training partners and the generous support of our sponsors: Alliance Local, Unico Direct, Instock, Bunzl, Arrow County Supplies, and GMC Corsehill. Their contributions made this scholarship programme a reality.

Chris concluded the event by encouraging the scholars to return their newly acquired skills and insights to their workplaces, inspiring change and innovation within their teams.

Exceptional Feedback and Gratitude

The feedback from scholars has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the programme’s value in equipping participants with practical skills and renewed confidence.

Special thanks go to Melanie and her team for their outstanding hospitality. The venue and catering were exceptional, adding to the day’s success.

As we look ahead, ASSIST FM remains committed to fostering growth, resilience, and excellence within Local Authority Cleaning Services. Congratulations to our scholars—future leaders who are set to make a real difference in their communities.

As we bid farewell to 2023, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the highlights and milestones that made this year one to remember.

Over the past 12 months, we have been providing support to our members and partner organisations as well as promoting and enhancing service delivery for public sector organisations in Scotland. Here are some of the highlights:

ASSIST FM Conference 2023

The ASSIST FM ‘What’s your reality?’ conference, sponsored by Müller Milk & Ingredients, took place in May at the Hilton Glasgow and focused on the future of the facilities management industry and explored the reality of what lies ahead.

We had a fantastic lineup of 55 exhibitors made up of long-time partners, recurring suppliers and new suppliers who brought real innovation to the public sector. We also had the opportunity to hear from fantastic speakers on a range of topics and our Keynote speaker was the wonderful Cor Hutton who shared an inspiring story that left everyone on a high!

We held our annual Local Authority Cook of the Year (LACOTY) competition to determine the menu for the Conference’s Gala Dinner. Six Local Authorities competed at The Braehead Cook School in March. The judges Willie Pike and Bruce Sangster selected the top three dishes (Best starter, main, and dessert), and the 3 finalists went head-to-head at the Glasgow Hilton with Nicola Arnold from Edinburgh Council announced as the winner of the LACOTY competition during the Gala Dinner. The LACOTY competition continues to be a resounding success!

The Gala Dinner, hosted by ASSIST FM’s very own Keith Breasley, featured an awards ceremony where 10 National Awards were presented.

Parliamentary Event

The ASSIST FM Committee had a fantastic day in October at The Scottish Parliament in partnership with Food for Life Scotland.

“It’s a pleasure to work in partnership with Food for Life (FFL) and to celebrate the school food heroes who go above and beyond in the community in which they serve,” shared Chris Ross, Chair of ASSIST FM.

Autumn Seminar

In November, we hosted the Autumn Seminar where invited partners presented their latest innovative products. The event welcomed all 32 Local Authorities FM employees for a day filled with seminars, break-out activities, and an exceptional lunch provided by Fife Council at the Glen Pavilion.

Exciting news to wrap up the year!

Christopher Ross has been recognised as one of the Top 20 Most Influential People in public sector catering.

The list comprises people who are the industry’s leading lights based on their ability to represent the concerns of people working in the sector, as well as their capacity to drive change. They cover schools, universities, hospitals, the care sector, prisons and catering colleges. Congratulations Chris, we are so proud of you!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone for your continuous support and for making this year unforgettable! We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and look forward to the exciting journey that we will be undertaking in 2024.

 

 

 

ASSIST FM are delighted to announce that their campaign, Inch by Inch for Scotland, was awarded the best Marketing Campaign award at the Cost Sector Catering Awards in London on Thursday 5th April. This is the first time we have put ASSIST FM up for an award so we were delighted to win it. The campaign has been running since September 2017 and will run to at least December 2018. Since September we have created over 75 videos, the campaign website, social media channels, and printed material for secondary schools and shops across Scotland. The campaign utilises social media and so far we have had over 1,300 follow us on Facebook, with a page reach of 14,095. Since our launch, we have had over 40,000 minutes of video watched and over 77,000 individual video views. On Twitter, we have had 162,500 impressions in the last month alone. As well as this we have had coverage of the campaign in The Times, STV coverage Lunchtime and Evening News, and two 15 minute interviews on BBC Radio Scotland. We have also had coverage in every national Scottish newspaper. The last roadshow in Holyrood Academy received press coverage in over 120 publications across the UK.

Quotes on the campaign:

Paul Carberry, Director for Service Development, Action for Children Scotland;

‘Not sure if you heard about Jordan’s latest news. Our media guy Craig fixed him up a meeting with BBC Social. They have offered Jordan paid work presenting Online programmes on cooking and will train him as a presenter with a view to presenting BBC television programmes. There is a god!!! That in itself is some outcome for SG on Inch by Inch. At this rate you should be going for campaign of the year (Seriously)’

Cyrus Todiwala, BBC Presenter and Restaurateur

A Programme such as this ought to go UK Wide and I hope it does just that. I have signed up and will also post these from our channels to a wider audience.Hopefully it will be a massive success. Good luck and wish you all the very best!

Cleland Sneddon, CEO Argyle & Bute Council

The Rothesay Roadshow was a fantastic example of how a school can take on the core message of the campaign and utilise these messages within the school curriculum. I’m going to taking part in some of these challenges and so is our Senior Management Team so watch out for future blogs and vlogs showing how we are getting on with those.

If you haven’t joined the campaign yet, go to www.inchbyinchforscotland.co.uk, and join our national prize-winning campaign!

Many thanks go to our main sponsors Muller Milk Ingredients. We would not have been able to win such a prestigious award without your support. Thanks also to CRB Cunninghams for their continued support, and to Green Gourmet for helping us purchase t-shirts for the roadshow events.

ASSIST FM IS ONCE AGAIN DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE SCOTTISH SCHOOL COOK OF THE YEAR COMPETITION.WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR SPONSOR, MüLLER WISEMAN FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR ORGANISATION AND FOR THEIR CONTINUED SPONSORSHIP OF THIS COMPETITION.

Scottish School Cook of the Year has grown in stature and has become a very popular and permanent fixture within the ASSIST FM Calendar of events. The Scottish School Cook of the Year Working Group has aimed to keep the mechanics of the competition as straightforward as possible and have enlisted the help of relevant experts when refining the judging criteria. We would urge you to read all of the competition rules and judging criteria carefully as some changes have been made to ensure a consistent approach throughout every stage of the competition. New: This year, due to the high standard of dishes in previous years, we have introduced recognition for ‘Best Main Course’ and ‘Best Dessert’. New for 2015 only: As 2015 is the Year of Food and Drink, the Scottish government and ASSIST are working together on a calendar of Scottish food related events to be held throughout 2015 by local authorities. As a result of this, a decision has been taken for SSCOTY 2015, that all entrants must include an item of Scottish produce in both the main course and dessert.ASSIST is delighted to announce that a HIT Scotland scholarship will be provided for the winner of the ASSIST Scottish School Cook of The Year contest each year. As a scholar, the winner will spend time working in an operational area or on a structured programme, allowing them to gain valuable knowledge, insight and confidence to get to the next level in their career. Please note that the winner must be not only be willing to take up the scholarship but should also have the commitment of their Local Authority to allow them the necessary time commitment prior to entering the competition.

Joe Queen the main Chef Judge of our national final said, “I have judged many competitions but the standard of this competition remains absolutely fantastic. Not only did all the competitors display superb working practices but their skills for creating such great tasting food on such a tight budget is testament to the skill set that exists throughout many Scottish schools. It is something we should be very proud of.”The overall aim of the competition is to raise the profile of the School Meals Sector in Scotland and to highlight the skills of those who are working hard on the front line of service delivery on a daily basis – can your authority afford not to be a part of this fantastic competition? We aim to give participating authorities as much support as possible and as National Chair I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best of luck and look forward to receiving all of your entries.

ASSIST FM is delighted to announce the second year of the Scottish National Local Authority FM Awards. The Awards were developed to recognise the excellence, commitment and professionalism delivered on a daily basis throughout all Scotland’s Local Authorities. It is important that we raise the profile of our services by acknowledging individuals and teams of people who continue to make a real difference in the effective and efficient delivery of FM Services throughout Scotland’s Local authority network.

Winning an ASSIST Scottish National FM Award will help boost the confidence, morale and motivation of Scottish local authority Facilities Management Teams. Our industry continues to be driven by the commitment and dedication of its workforce. Maintaining that enthusiasm, and building on performance and driving greater success are annual challenges for all FM operational teams. Acknowledgment of effort is particularly important to not only reward but sustain motivation. As the Leading professional body for all those delivering FM Services throughout Scotland’s local authorities, ASSIST FM are delighted to host the Scottish National FM Awards.

NIKKI MCNAUGHT FROM EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL CROWNED SCOTTISH SCHOOL COOK OF THE YEAR 2013

School Cooks from all over Scotland entered `THE SCHOOL COOK OF THE YEAR 2013` competition.

Out of the fifteen original entries six cooks battled their way through to the final:

Suzanne FullerNorth Ayrshire Council

Nikki McNaughtEast Ayrshire Council

Esther FosterInverclyde Council

Tracey Biggs Scottish Borders Council

Marianne HendryStirling Council

Wendy McIntoshTayside Contracts

Held at The Cook School Scotland, each entrant was asked to produce, in just 90 minutes, a healthy and balanced two-course meal, which would appeal to either primary or secondary school pupils at a cost of £1.50 per meal. The dishes were required to conform to minimum nutritional standards for school meals but also called for creativity and flair. The competition was open to all catering staff employed by the 32 Scottish Local authorities, and 15 made it through to regional heats, followed by the final. This is the second year that ASSIST FM (The Association for Local Authority FM management) has run the competition, sponsored by Muller Wiseman. The winner was Nikki McNaught from East Ayrshire Council. Nikki works at Loudon Academy in Galston. In second place was Marianne Hendry of Stirling Council, and in third place was Wendy McIntosh of Tayside Contracts.

Nikki’s menu consisted of a main course of Salmon and Pea Fishcakes served with chilli and lime yoghurt dip and homemade coleslaw and cucumber ribbons, and a dessert of Apple Strudel – Spiced Apple filled Filo pastry served with a Summer Berry Sauce. Bill Kennedy, National Chair of ASSIST, stated, “This is the second ASSIST Scottish School Cook of The Year competition and it follows last year’s successful competition. The competition really shows the skill set of caterers within the school meal service across Scotland. We are extremely grateful to the sponsor, Muller Wiseman, and to The Cook School Scotland for their continued support of the Scottish school meals service. It is a real showcase for the high standard of school meals being achieved around the country. ”One of the judges in the final was John McMahon Chef at the Prestonfield Hotel. John stated that, I was really surprised at the quality of the cooking and presentation skills. The cooks were well prepared and their meals were very creative’. So much so that he asked Marianne Hendry from Stirling Council for the recipe for her dessert (Warm Strawberry cupcakes baked in a teacup). Joe Queen, Executive Head Chef of the Cook School Scotland was Chair of the judges and he stated, ‘I have judged many cookery competitions but the standard of this competition was absolutely fantastic. Despite the constraints of the healthy eating guidelines all the competitors served up superb tasty dishes and they should be proud of their efforts. The competition itself was extremely close and hard to judge and it was a real testament to the standard of cooks within the school meals service’. Alan Russell of Main Sponsor, Muller Wiseman Dairies, said, ‘Muller Wiseman were delighted to sponsor the competition for a second time. We supply schools all over the country and we know that there is some fabulous talent out there. This competition is a great way of showing that talent.’

Wendy Mcintosh – Third Place

School Cooks went `head to head` to compete for the prestigious title of  `THE ASSIST SCHOOL COOK OF THE YEAR 2012` at The Cook School Scotland. There were six cooks from around the country who battled their way through to the final: Norrie ScottTayside Carol CouplandNorth Ayrshire Tracey BiggsScottish Borders Tracey WalkerStirling Sharon LockhartWest Dunbartonshire Debbie Ward –  East Renfrewshire in third place was Tracey Walker of Stirling Council. In second place was Carol Coupland of North Ayrshire Council.And in first place was Norrie Scott of Tayside. Norrie is Catering Manager at Perth High School.

Norrie’s two course meal was Scottish Lamb and Mint with Pork sausage served with Citrus Couscous and Fresh Mint Raita, followed by Toffee Apple & Blueberry Crumble & Creme Fraiche. Each entrant was required to produce, in just 90 minutes; a healthy and balanced two-course meal which would appeal to either primary or secondary school pupils at a cost of £1.50 per child. The winning dish also was required to conform to minimum nutritional standards and could be made up of poultry, meat, fish and non-meat proteins. The competition was open to all catering staff employed by the 32 Scottish Local authorities. This is the first time ASSIST has run the promotion, and it was a great success.

School meals have been a topic of conversation for many years. Eight years on from Hungry for Success, Scotland is still leading the way when it comes to the role it plays in healthy eating and the meals provided. Budget restraints have made business conditions difficult, along with the pressure of legislation and the constant battle with the street vendors. However, schools all over the country have performed extremely well and deserve as much praise as possible. This competition offers the chance to promote staff, kitchens and schools as well as being a once in a lifetime experience for all those who enter. It will really show that school cooks have the talent and skills expected in the catering industry.The final was judged by Joe Queen (The Cook School Scotland), Garry Watson (Gordon’s Restaurant), Ray Lorimer (Catering At Your Convenience) Alan Russell (Wiseman Dairies), Claire Hislop NHS (Dietician) as well as two primary school pupils: Ava Cook, (Mauchline Primary) and Rachel Brown, (New Farm Primary).Ken Campbell, Chair of ASSIST, stated, “This is the inaugural ASSIST Scottish School Cook of The Year competition and it has been a fantastic success. It has really shown the skill set of caterers within the school meal service across Scotland. We are extremely grateful our sponsors, Wiseman Dairies for their continued support of the Scottish school meals service, and to The Cook School Scotland and Braehead Foods for providing us with such a fabulous facility in which to hold one of our heats and the final. It is a real showcase for the high standard of school meals being achieved around the country. ”One of the judges in the final at was Joe Queen, Executive Chef of Braehead Foods. He was so impressed by the standard of the competition that he is giving one week’s work experience to Norrie. He stated, ‘I have judged many competitions but the standard of this competition was absolutely fantastic. Not only did all the competitors have superb work practices but their skills for creating such great tasting food on such a tight budget is testament to the skills that exist in many Scottish schools around the country. It is something to be really proud of. Thanks go again to our sponsors, Wiseman Dairies and The Cook School Scotland, and to all our judges.

This year’s Scottish School Cook of The Year 2015 is Maria Millar of East Lothian Council. Maria beat off strong competition from 6 other school cooks from all over Scotland in the final of the competition. The competition took place at the Cook School Scotland in Crosshouse and was sponsored once again by Müller Milk Ingredients.

Maria is originally from Venezuela, but came to Scotland on holiday and has never left. Now the cook at Knox Academy in Haddington, her menu consisted of a Chicken Enchiladas with Coleslaw and Strawberry Cheesecake. Maria used local Scottish carrots, onions, cabbage and mushrooms in the Enchiladas, and fresh Scottish strawberries, Scottish strawberry jam and cream. Each cook had to create a main dish and dessert within 90 minutes. A maximum of £1.60 was allowed for the cost of the meal and each cook had to comply with the primary based nutrient standards in The Schools (Health promotion and Nutrition Act) (Scotland) 2007 legislation, which is in force in all schools throughout Scotland. All entrants were encouraged to use at least one item of Scottish produce in both the main course and dessert. The competition was hotly contested. In third place was Paul Hodson of Scottish Borders Council. Runner-up was Mandy McAulay of Fife Council. Chairman of the judging panel, Joe Queen, said, ‘I wouldn’t miss this competition and was delighted to be asked to be involved for a sixth year. The standard these school cooks produce within the constraints of budget and nutritional standards are quite remarkable.’

Alan Russell, from sponsor Müller Milk Ingredients, said, ‘the standard this year was excellent and it was a very difficult decision. Congratulations go to all the cooks who took part for putting up some superb meals.’

As well as the Scottish School Cook of the Year award, at the ASSIST FM Conference Gala Dinner, Keith Breasley presented an updated range of National Awards to recognise the incredible work of those in the Facilities Management sector.

ASSIST FM Outstanding Contribution to Catering 2019 – Sponsored by Brakes Scotland

Shortlees Primary School & Early Childhood Centre Catering Team, East Ayrshire Council

ASSIST FM Outstanding Contribution to Cleaning 2019 – Sponsored by Nilfisk Ltd

Janette White, Loudoun Academy, East Ayrshire Council

ASSIST FM Outstanding Contribution to FM Services 2019 – Sponsored by CRB Cunninghams

Margaret McFadden, Duncanrig Secondary, South Lanarkshire Council

ASSIST FM Outstanding Service Innovation Award 2019 – Sponsored by Inhouse Manager

South Ayrshire Council Catering Services

ASSIST FM Outstanding Culinary Skills Award 2019 – Decorated Cake – Sponsored by Upfield

Sarah Grady, West Lothian

ASSIST FM Outstanding Culinary Skills Award 2019 – Petit Fours

Debbie Laurie, East Ayrshire Council

ASSIST FM Supplier of the Year 2019

Green Gourmet

ASSIST FM Special Recognition Award 2019

Angela Russell

Congratulations to all of this 2019’s award winners!

At the ASSIST FM Conference Gala Dinner, the winner of the prestigious Scottish School Cook of the Year Competition 2019 was announced as Maria Millar from Knox Academy in East Lothian Council. Maria also came third in 2018’s competition and won the accolade in 2017!

For the Cook-off at The Cook School Scotland, Kilmarnock, Maria served up two delicious and healthy dishes of Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce served with Primavera Rice and Three Milk Cake to become one of the top 3 finalists alongside Eleanor Geddes of East Ayrshire Council and Ann Marie Logan of Scottish Borders Council. The top 3 finalists then had to serve up their dishes during their school lunch service in order for the judges to ensure that their dishes are school compliant as well as to gauge the reception from school pupils.

The competition was judged by representatives of ASSIST FM, Alan Russell from Muller Milk & Ingredients who sponsor the competition, two secondary school pupils and Scotland’s National Chef and Masterchef the Professionals winner, Gary Maclean.

This year, Gary Maclean expressed that the dishes presented were of an extraordinary calibre and were restaurant quality. Well done to all the of this year’s finalists and huge congratulations to Maria Millar!