Cateys 2023: Health and Nutrition Award: Thomas Franks

Thomas Franks wins the Health and Nutrition Award, sponsored by Brakes

Thomas Franks, which works with almost 120 schools across the UK, has won the Health and Nutrition Award at this year's Cateys for its dedication to healthy school catering.

In September 2022, the group director of nutrition and wellbeing, Christine Bailey (pictured), devised an education programme called Nourish to Flourish in order to tackle the significant decline in mental health among students through the offer of nutritious food.

It was introduced at a time when the average UK diet was very low in fresh fruit and vegetables, with nine out of 10 children eating fewer than 3.5 portions a day, according to statistics from the Food Foundation (2021).

Some of the aims from Thomas Franks were to place greater emphasis on homecooked food and dishes made from scratch with minimal processed ingredients; reducing the amount of sugar in desserts and cakes by at least half; and serving a plant-focused meal at least once a week.

Prior to embarking on this project, Bailey already had a wealth of experience in this field as a registered nutritionist, chef and author of over 14 recipe and health books.

The initiative gave practical advice on how to choose healthy food and involved not only students but also staff and parents, complete with talks and interactive activities across Years 3 to 13 on balanced plates, body image, nutrition myths and cookery demonstrations. Recipes for brain-boosting dishes and informative webinars were also made available.

It increased collaboration with mental health ambassadors, development chefs and school catering teams to create new menus that have been scientifically proven to contain nutrients that can reduce anxiety and depression.

Nourish to Flourish lasted 10 months and was implemented in four schools: Durham High School, Queen Anne's School Caversham, Holme Grange School Wokingham and Kingham Hill School. Its impact was widely apparent in a survey conducted in March 2023, which revealed that 80% of pupils enjoyed trying new brain-healthy foods; 40% were actively eating from the salad bar; and 50% enjoyed the lower sugar desserts.

Bailey has hosted hundreds of nutrition workshops across Thomas Franks' extensive school network. Her unwavering commitment to enhancing school catering has attracted a significant rise in demand from new schools asking for similar initiatives, as well as a boom in in-house recruitment.

For the corporate sector, Bailey and her team continue to offer training and customer-centred nutritional support through webinars, roadshows, food demonstrations, taster pop-ups and cooking classes.

What the judges said

"Outstanding example of making a difference in young people's lives through healthy, nutritious food. The Nourish to Flourish programme is truly inspirational, with excellent resources that reinforce and support this superb initiative. It's not just about today, but about changing the long-term focus and habits of our children, which in turn they are inspired to share with others." Andy Jones

The shortlist

• Eurest
• Restaurant Associates
• Thomas Franks

The judges

• Judith Gregory, Cardiff Council
• Andrew Jones, AJ Design Associates
• John Lavery, Fish City
• Terry Tinton, Westminster Kingsway College