Baking up success at Wales finals

Three school cooks from Newtown and Llanidloes have been showing off their cake making skills in the finals of a Wales-wide competition.

Newtown High School’s Melissa Cooke has been crowned Welsh Secondary School Catering Frontline Employee of the Year.

Jane Vaughan from Llanidloes High School scooped the gold award in the Celtic Creations Display Salon Final Decorated Novelty Cake category at the Lead Association for Catering in Education’s Welsh Region Recognition of Excellence Awards.

 Val Barkley from Hafren Primary School in Newtown was also recognised in the cup cake category and received merits for her cup cakes.

 Welsh Catering Management Team of the Year was awarded to Powys County Council.

 Cllr Garry Banks, Cabinet Member for Catering said: “I would like to congratulate our schools cooks and catering service for their phenomenal success at these excellence awards.

 “To come away with individual and team awards against a strong field of nominations from across Wales is a credit to the professionalism and enthusiasm of the school catering teams we have in place in Powys.

 “We are extremely proud of their achievements, which demonstrates to the whole of Wales that we are one of the leading councils when it comes to food services in schools.”

Jason Rawbone, Powys County Council’s Principal Catering Manager, said: “Each of the team entries from Powys demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm, initiative, commitment and effort in devising and implementing activities which increase awareness of and support the school’s food service. 

 “These awards have recognised their work in maintaining a consistent level of professional standard and exceptional team work on a day to day basis.”

 Caption: Val Barkley from Hafren School in Newtown who received merits for her cup cakes at the finals of a Wales competition