CATERING equipment firm Whitco is ready to help any schools that need to make kitchen improvements to provide free meals to primary school pupils when new government regulations are introduced in September.
From September 2014, all infant children in state-funded schools in England will be entitled to a free school meal and it is expected that many schools will upgrade existing kitchens or install new catering facilities in order to cope with the changes.
Whitco Ltd, based in Thrapston, has sent information out to 130 schools in Northamptonshire about the design, sales, inst
CATERING equipment firm Whitco is ready to help any schools that need to make kitchen improvements to provide free meals to primary school pupils when new government regulations are introduced in September.
From September 2014, all infant children in state-funded schools in England will be entitled to a free school meal and it is expected that many schools will upgrade existing kitchens or install new catering facilities in order to cope with the changes.
Whitco Ltd, based in Thrapston, has sent information out to 130 schools in Northamptonshire about the design, sales, installation and maintenance service it provides. Director Vita Whitaker believes that schools should be acting now to ensure they are ready to meet the September deadline, whether that is in catering facilities, reheating of meals brought in from outside, chilled meals or small catering pods, that allow some food preparation where kitchen facilities are not available.
“Funding has been made available to help schools upgrade their facilities or services to provide free school meals for infant pupils,” she said. “What is important is that schools check that they are dealing with a qualified and bona fide supplier that is experienced in working in the education sector.
“In particular, they should be on a contract or framework with the Espo public sector procurement system, and preferably be a member of CEDA – the Catering Equipment Distributors Association.”
Whitco has been supplying to the education sector for the past 20 years and in that time has completed close to 500 projects ranging from small refurbishments to full-scale kitchen projects.
“It’s also worth all non-education sector clients noting that any projects they are looking to plan in the near future should be under way sooner rather than later, or planned so that they avoid the June, July and August period when most kitchen equipment companies will be working on schools during the holiday period to prepare for the new school year,” added Vita.
For further information, contact Whitco Ltd on 01832 735007, email or visit the website www.whitcoltd.com
