In addition to applauding the achievements of exceptional individuals and organisations, the Institute of Meat and Worshipful Company of Butchers had further reason to celebrate today. The Butcher Standard Apprenticeship, launched here in Butchers Hall a decade ago, has been formally updated ‘future proofing’ industry-wide butchery skills for the next generation of butchery apprentices.
Over 140 guests gathered to see apprentices, training providers and employers involved in the award-winning apprenticeship receive their prizes, presented by Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), Chief Executive of the Institute of Meat together with John Allton Jones, Master of The Worshipful Company of Butchers.
In total, twelve awards were presented to the following worthy winners:
| WINNER | AWARD | EMPLOYER | PROPOSER |
AWARD SPONSOR |
| Mea Iliffe | Best New Apprentice | Ringrose Butchers | Crosby Management Training | Windsor Food Machinery |
| Daniel Powell | Best Retail Butchery Apprentice | Priors West Lynn | Poultec | National Craft Butchers |
| Kate Bleach | Best Independent Retailer Meat Apprentice |
Grange Farm | Plumpton College | Dalziel Ltd. |
| Lewis Hartley | Best In-Store Multiple Retailer Butchery Apprentice | Morrisons PLC | Remit Training | IoM (Paul Edkins Memorial Cup) |
| Luca McDougall | Best Meat Processing Apprentice | Cranswick Country Foods |
Bishop Burton | British Meat Processors Association |
| Adil Nadeem | Best Abattoir Worker/Apprentice | Morrisons PLC | Workforce Training & Development | ABP Food Group |
| Eimear Hunter | Best Apprentice Showing Management Potential in a Manufacturing Environment |
ABP Food Group | CAFRE | Worshipful Company of Poulters |
| Laurissa Barriball |
Best Meat Apprentice Showing Real Management Potential | Brian Etherington Meat Company | MEAT Ipswich | Oakfield Foods Ltd. |
| Patrick Kelly | Lord Graham Endeavour Award |
Days of Ashwell Ltd |
MEAT Ipswich | IoM (Kenneth Jenkins Cup) |
| ABP Master Butcher Training Programme | Best Company Training Scheme |
ABP Food Group | Institute of Meat | |
| MEAT Ipswich Ltd |
Best Meat Training Provider |
WCB (Fred Mallion Bowl) |
Award Winners 2025
The category winners each received a cheque for £250, a framed certificate and a year’s free membership of the Institute of Meat.
The most prized award, ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’, went to Laurissa Barriball of the Brian Etherington Meat Company. Laurissa received a winner’s trophy and certificate, a year’s free membership of the IoM and an additional cash prize of £500. The judges were impressed with Laurissa’s interest in developing value added meat products and desire to pass on her skills to future apprentices.
Champion Apprentice Laurissa Barriball with The Master, John Allton Jones
Commenting on the prizegiving, Fisher said,
‘We had a record number of nominations this year, which along with our revitalised butchery apprenticeship is a real indication of the enthusiasm and confidence surrounding butchery today. I’m only sorry we couldn’t award more apprentices. The standard of applicants was superb – it grows stronger every year.’
Also celebrated on the day was the awarding of 13 new Institute of Meat accredited Master Butchers. All have successfully completed the Institute of Meat’s rigorous assessment process and now qualify to use the Master Butcher post nominal letters, MB.Inst.M. The newly recognised Master Butchers are:
| Daniel McQueen (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| James Brindley (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| John Bye (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| Shaun Noble (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| Shane Morley (MB.Inst.M) | Booker Group |
| Scott Edney (MB.Inst.M) | ABP Beef |
| Harry Pritchard (MB.Inst.M) | ABP Beef |
| Martin Player (MB.Inst.M) | Oriel Jones |
| Shaun Jones (MB.Inst.M) | Oriel Jones |
| Robert Powell (MB.Inst.M) | Dunbia |
| Paul Nicholson (MB.Inst.M) | Bishop Burton College |
| George Clapham (MB.Inst.M) | Dunbia |
| Martin Neely (MB.Inst.M) | Highland Meats |
Master Butchers 2025
Pam Brook, past editor of Meat Management Magazine, was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Meat for her services to the meat industry over many years.
Bill Jermey, Pam Brook and John Allton Jones
Reflecting on the day, Bill Jermey, Chairman of the Institute of Meat, concluded,
‘The British meat industry has to adapt constantly to meet the changing demands of consumers. To do that we need the right training, the right people and the right mindset. That’s what we are celebrating today – we have it all within this room.’
For more information about the prizegiving or how to nominate an apprentice, please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, info@instituteofmeat.org
To find out more about the updated butchery apprenticeship and end-point assessment visit FDQ.org.uk. or email fdq@FDQ.org.uk.
