Not ready for UIFSM in September? Don’t panic!

There are various reasons why some schools might not be ready to hit the ground running with Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) in September.

It could be that you’re struggling with budgets, logistics, the timeframe or are just unsure where to start. I know that hold-ups in some schools are also being caused by factors such as building work timescales, uncertainty over the best solution, or the desire to see exactly how school meal take-up is affected in September before making a final decision.

If you’re struggling with the introduction of UIFSM and implementing the School Food Plan, there are a number of sources of help, advice and guidance out there which you might find useful. Here are my top picks:

Department of Education – This document from the Department of Education offers official advice and information on the introduction of Universal Infant Free School Meals.

The School Food Plan – If you haven’t read it yet, this is where you can download and read the School Food Plan it its entirety. This explains all the new school food guidelines, ideas on implementing them, and the reasoning behind the changes. Or, if you just want a quick overview, there’s also a great 5-minute summary too!

UIFSM Toolkit – This is a great step-by-step guide to implementing UIFSM, and helps guide you through the process with practical advice and suggestions.

What Works Well – Here you can watch videos, read real-life case studies and get tips on tried and tested ideas to implement a successful school food scheme.

Children’s Food Trust – The Children’s Food Trust is running a free advice service to help schools with any questions or problems that might arise when sorting out their school meals service. They have a helpline that you can call and they’ll help answer your questions and point you towards further support.

Small Schools Taskforce – The School Food Plan has put this taskforce together specifically to help small or rural schools who might face additional challenges when implementing UIFSM and the School Food Plan. Incidentally, my colleague Ed Lyons and I are both members of this taskforce, as PKL can offer expertise in this area!

UIFSM FAQs – The Children’s Food Trust has put together a really useful set of FAQs which might help answer some of your questions about UIFSM.

Whatever the reason, if your school isn’t going to be ready to provide UIFSM in September, help is also on hand in the form of our temporary kitchens and catering equipment hire, which can provide an excellent solution until your permanent facilities are in place.

Hiring a temporary kitchen is a quick and easy way to provide a school meals service instantly, and we’ve had clients who’ve had temporary kitchens at their schools from a few days up to several years! Our temporary kitchens can be designed specifically to suit your menu and the number of meals you’ll be serving, so they represent a fast, sensible solution which won’t require you to compromise on your menu, food quality or the kitchen environment itself.

For smaller requirements, you can also hire items of catering equipment to enable you to set up a temporary kitchen facility in an existing building, utilising items such as oven ranges, combination ovens and servery units.

Alternatively, if you already have a school kitchen but are struggling with old or unsuitable catering equipment, our KitchenFM for Schools option enables schools to contract hire their entire catering equipment estate from us for a fixed monthly fee, meaning the equipment is our responsibility to maintain, and you can swap items in or out as your menu changes.

And of course, if you’re still looking for a permanent kitchen option, our permanent modular KitchenPods are a hugely popular option for schools as they can be ready in a matter of weeks and offer flexible procurement options for where budgets are tricky.

I do hope this blog post has helped give you some ideas if you were worried about getting your school ready in time for September – please do get in touch with us to see if our school kitchen solutions can help make your transition to UIFSM easier.

New Brochures!

Today is a momentous day here at PKL - after months of hard work, the last of our 5 new brochures has been delivered from the printers!

From Temporary Kitchens, Catering Equipment and Event Kitchens, to Permanent Kitchens and PKL Transworld, no matter what your requirement, we've got a shiny new brochure to give you all the info you need. We've also got a brilliant new folder to keep the brochures together, featuring a useful insert which gives a company overview and information on our service and accreditations. They all have that lovely new brochure smell too. What more could you want, eh?

To order a brochure, please visit our website here or give us a call.

Health and Safety Changes in the Event Industry

The PKL Event Hire Team:
Manager Krista with Sales Executives Ciaran and Dan

In this post, PKL’s Event Hire Team blog about changes in event health and safety legislation and highlight the importance of ensuring your event is compliant.

Recent changes to legislation will see an increased focus on health and safety standards at events throughout the UK. These changes are being supported by the Events Industry Forum, the Concert Promoters Association, the AEV Catering Working Group, Thames Water, WaterSafe and the HSE.

We know that there is sometimes a pressure to focus on minimising costs during the installation of catering equipment or temporary kitchens, but can you afford to run the risk of spot fines due to unsafe practices, having your venue closed during your event, or even assume legal responsibility for a non-compliant venue that goes wrong?

In this blog post, we’ll outline some of the key things you need to know when organising catering facilities for events.
                                                                                                          
What’s Going On?

The introduction of the new Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations in October 2014 will mean a higher level of safety standards for the events industry, similar to those seen within the construction sector. Venue owners and event organisers will often see the legal liability for compliance falling to them as the main contractor, and unless managed carefully, will be liable for any wrongdoings by subcontractors working on an event.

How can PKL help? PKL has supplied temporary catering facilities to large construction companies for many years and, as a result, we are fully compliant with CDM regulations. In fact, we’ve already been supplying a CDM compliant product and service to the events sector for over five years!

Water Supply Regulations

It is the duty of event organisers or venue managers installing plumbing systems or water fittings to ensure that they are compliant with Water Supply Regulations. It’s important to comply with these regulations in order to ensure that equipment doesn’t contaminate the local water supply or use an unnecessary amount of water. Penalties for non-compliance are severe and can result in an event being closed down.

How can PKL help? We’ve recently undertaken a complete review of our fleet of catering equipment and temporary kitchens to ensure that they are Water Supply Regulations compliant.


Who Enforces the Legislation?

Health and Safety Executive – The HSE will have more power to issue spot fines and even stop the build-up and breakdown of an event until safe practices have been put in place.

Fire and Rescue Authorities – Individual authorities will have the power to enforce fire safety legislation.

Local Authorities – Local councils, often represented by Environmental Health Officers, will have the power to enforce health and safety measures.

Never Fear, PKL is Here!

Over the last few years, we have dedicated a large amount of time and resource into ensuring that our product and service complies with all relevant health and safety legislation. We have taken into account advice and guidance published in all the key events health and safety documents, including:

• The Purple Guide
• The Association of Event Organisers eGuide
• The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health National Guide for Outdoor and Mobile Catering
• NCASS Guidance for the Installation of LPG and LPG Fired Equipment in Catering Trailers, Converted Vehicles, Portable Kitchens, Carts, Trolleys and Bikes
• UKLPG information sheets

This means you can be confident that from our equipment to our installation service, we comply with all relevant regulations. As with any reputable company, we can, of course, also provide you with hard evidence (certification, forms, and all the official documentation) to prove that we are fully compliant – just ask when you book and we’ll be happy to provide you with copies. Asking your suppliers for this kind of evidence is very important, as all suppliers should be able to back up their health and safety claims with the correct documentation.

Need help? If you’re worried and need any advice on how to ensure your event complies with these health and safety standards, please just get in touch, as we are experts in this area. We also work with consultants who can provide you with a full health and safety audit for your event.

For more information on our event kitchen hire and catering equipment hire, please visit our website.

Beatrice's Work Experience Diary

The Marketing Team: Sam, Andy and Caz

Work experience student Beatrice joined PKL's Marketing Team this week - here is her diary of what she got up to!

At first, entering the world of work seemed quite scary, I was worried I would be given big complicated tasks and would sit wondering what had gone wrong. However, I feel like I would rather stay at work then go back to school!! Marketing is what I want to do when I am older; I knew that before I came to PKL, now, I am sure there is a place in that area of work for me.

MONDAY:

I met my ‘boss’ Sam who introduced me to a spread sheet with a forecast of everything the Marketing team need to achieve at PKL. It was then I realised that there is a lot more to marketing than I initially thought. It is all soo organised here at PKL and this spread sheet proved it. There are many parts of marketing I learnt about that I never new existed. Later on, after a guided tour of PKL, I helped Sam organise brochure requests on Goldmine, which was interesting because I had never seen a system like that before. After my lunch break, I then helped Andy set up an email newsletter, that I was very proud of; it was sent to 6,272 people!!!

Left - Designing the email newsletter, Right   - The poster about The One Show

TUESDAY:

I worked with Andy on a poster to put in the canteen of one of PKL’s proudest achievements which is going on The One Show! After lunch, Andy took me to the printers where we took the next brochure designs and made sure they were printing properly. It was so interesting to see the process of design to manufacturer, we were even allowed inside the printing factory! After lunch, I helped Andy set up a picture of PKL on The One Show to go into reception. Finally, I helped Sam and sent some emails to people who wanted a brochure.

Our visit to the printing company and a proof of the new brochure

WEDNESDAY:

This particular day helped me see the variety of work at PKL, as I helped Andy sort out a very messy Marketing cupboard. It was a lot of work, however the end result was really good and it helped make room for the next brochures which will be delivered on Friday. Andy, the Graphic Designer, has the job I would have if I worked here as I love design and working on websites. I really envy him!!

The clean new cupboard

THURSDAY:

I had a meeting with the MD Chris who set me a task of helping him research which potential countries PKL Transworld could work with. This took me most of the day, however I was happy to be helpful to PKL as they had already done A LOT for me. Finally, I worked with Caz, who was great fun and showed me how to control the back end of the Mid West Catering Equipment website and sort out the stock on sale at the moment.

Left - Designing a new picture for Reception, Right - The final result on the wall

FRIDAY:

I am now about to set up my blog that I am REALLY excited about doing! This week has been AMAZING and I now feel much happier in myself knowing for definite what I want to do when I am older - MARKETING!!

Catering Infrastructure Solutions for Universal Infant Free School Meals

At the moment, I’m receiving lots of enquiries from schools needing help with getting their kitchen facilities ready to meet the requirements of the School Food Plan and Universal Infant Free School Meals in September. 

The two main obstacles they’re up against tend to be time and funding, which are the areas in which our solutions can really help some schools. We offer a number of flexible procurement options on all our school facilities, including capital purchase, contract rental and lease. This enables schools with limited funding to help spread the cost and avoid the need for up-front capital expenditure. Our school solutions can also be installed and ready to use within a matter of weeks, keeping the whole process straightforward and stress-free.

Here’s a brief outline of our key options for schools wanting to prepare for September:

KitchenPods

PKL KitchenPods are ideal for schools with no existing kitchen,
or for schools who need to extend their current kitchen building.

Many of my clients found the cost of kitchen building works prohibitive, and approached us looking for a solution better suited to their funding availability. Our KitchenPods are permanent modular kitchen buildings, but offer the ability to be moved and relocated if the school’s needs change over time. This capability offers another advantage in that unlike a traditional building, KitchenPods are also able to be offered on a rental or lease basis. For schools unable to fund an up-front capital purchase, these monthly payment options can be much easier for schools to manage, and can help make it easier for the caterers or other stakeholders to contribute to the payments (an increasingly popular way of funding new facilities!).

PKL KitchenPods are modular kitchens which are built and kitted out off-site in as little as 6 weeks from order, then installed in a matter of days. These are a very flexible solution with a number of sizes available, ranging from single units to large open-plan spaces. KitchenPods also offer a huge range of exterior finishes, enabling them to complement existing buildings on site. Schools often opt to have our KitchenPods installed on a weekend or during school holidays, to completely avoid any disruption on site.

KitchenFM for Schools

Our KitchenFM for Schools option is brilliant for schools
requiring new catering equipment on a tight budget.

For schools who have a kitchen but have outdated or inadequate catering equipment, KitchenFM for Schools, which we developed with support from the Children’s Food Trust, is an ideal solution. For a fixed monthly fee, PKL will supply all the catering equipment and maintain it, with engineers only a phone call away. This is therefore a completely hassle-free option, and we can even buy back your existing equipment to include in the plan, and swap different equipment in and out if your menu or school meal take-up changes.

I know that many schools will not have the capital in place to purchase all new catering equipment, so KitchenFM for Schools is an excellent solution – contract rental of the catering estate means there is no up-front capital needed, and the responsibility for maintaining and looking after the equipment remains with PKL, so there will never be any nasty financial surprises!

Temporary Kitchens

PKL temporary kitchens can offer high quality
interim kitchen facilities to schools who need more time!

I know that some schools would prefer to see exactly how their school meal take-up is affected by the changes in September, before deciding on the best course of action for their kitchen facilities. Other schools have opted for extensive building works which won’t be ready in time for September or will disrupt existing kitchen facilities while they’re taking place. For schools in these types of situation who require interim catering facilities, PKL temporary kitchens are an ideal solution.

As the UK’s leading supplier of temporary kitchens, we are able to hire a whole range of kitchen facilities to meet your exact requirements and buy you time to get your permanent kitchen in place. With hires able to last from a few weeks to several years, temporary kitchens provide an easy and flexible option.

Further Information

If you’d like more information on any of these options, or if you’d like to discuss your school’s requirements with us, please visit www.schoolkitchens.com or give us a ring and ask to speak to a member of the Permanent Kitchens Team (myself, Ian or Ed).

Happiness at PKL

Today is the second annual International Day of Happiness! You might remember that last year, we listed some reasons why PKL is happy. Well, we're back again this year, explaining why we are still happy! We asked a few PKL staff members what's making them happy in their departments at the moment:

"The summer is fast aproaching, which will be busy but really exciting for us, with our equipment heading off to events all over the country!" Krista, Event Hire Team

"We're very proud and happy that our colleague Lee successfully survived his parachute jump in aid of Brain Tumour Research!" Andrea, Finance

"Our reception area has just had a complete facelift, with new paint and flooring as well as a new trophy cabinet, TV screen and reception desk!" Pat, Business Support

Reception before (top) and after (bottom)

"We've had some fantastic feedback and happy customers in Dubai following our new partnership with Lowe Refrigeration." Peter, PKL Transworld

"I'm happy because we've just added a new member to the CAD team to help with all the exciting new projects we're working on at the moment!" Karsten, Kitchen Design Team

"After months of hard work, our brand new range of hire guide brochures is in the process of being printed!" Sam, Marketing

Our new hire guide brochures being printed

"I'm happy that I had the opportunity to go and watch the filming of The One Show when our KitchenPods and Food Cubes were featured on it!" Ian, Permanent Kitchens Team

"We're happy because we've received a 92% customer satisfaction rating for quality and technical support this year!" John, Kit Heaven and Manisha, Technical Support

Cheltenham Festival 2014 - Day 4

Today is the final day of this year's Cheltenham Festival, and CowCow is planning to go out with a bang. Yesterday saw two more wins for CowCow, plus another of his predicted winners came in a very respectable second place. This cow is on fire.

The "aviators of victory" stayed firmly on CowCow yesterday, and he also took a seat on his very own throne following his first win. As his second prediction came true, he leapt from his throne in great excitement, and has been positively insufferable ever since. We will, quite frankly, be relieved to see the end of race week and our bombastic bovine's celebratory antics. It's all getting a bit much.

This morning CowCow has thrown himself, quite literally, into today's predictions. Fingers crossed his winning streak continues and he hasn't been too over-confident!

To read an explanation of CowCow's prediction technique, read Tuesday's blog post here. You can also catch up on his predictions for Day 2 and Day 3.

CowCow's Cheltenham Festival Predictions - 14th March 2014

Race 1 (1:30pm) - Guitar Pete
Race 2 (2:05pm) - Alaivan
Race 3 (2:40pm) - Captain Cutter
Race 4 (3:20pm) - On His Own
Race 5 (4:00pm) - Divine Intavention
Race 6 (4:40pm) - The Skyfarmer
Race 7 (5:15pm) -  His Excellency