Awards
British Forces in Business Awards 2025
We are proud to announce that our general manager, Susan Vuli, has been named the Team Leader of the Year in the 2025 British Forces in Business Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding contributions from veterans, who have successfully transitioned into civilian careers.
Susan won the Team Leader of the Year category, a recognition of her exceptional leadership in the education catering and cleaning industry. With over 25 years of experience, Susan’s ethos and approach have been instrumental in keeping teams motivated through challenging times in the public sector.
With more than 15,000 individuals leaving the British Armed Forces annually, many face barriers to finding meaningful second careers. These awards help transform the veteran employment landscape by showcasing talented leaders across multiple industries, proving that military-trained professionals bring valuable skills to the economy.
Susan’s recognition is a testament to the strong leadership, resilience, and commitment she brings to Shire Services and the wider public sector catering industry.
The 2025 Awards Gala took place at Grosvenor House London, Park Lane, on 26 June, bringing together 1,200 leaders from the business and Armed Forces communities to honour this year’s finalists.
Public Sector Catering Awards 2025
We are delighted to have won two prestigious Public Sector Catering (PSC) Awards!
We secured the Marketing Award - for the second year in a row - and the Health and Nutrition Award for our dedication to promoting healthy eating and innovative service delivery.
We were also finalists for the Education Catering Award and Team of the Year Award, further highlighting our excellence in catering across public sector institutions. These awards celebrate excellence in catering across various public sectors including schools, hospitals, care homes, universities, the Armed Forces, prisons, and more.
Area Manager, Lauren Moore, commented on the win: "We are delighted to receive these awards, especially winning the Marketing Award for the second year running. It’s a testament to the creativity and dedication of our team, who work tirelessly to promote and deliver exceptional catering services across the public sector. Our passion for providing nutritious and delicious meals remains at the heart of everything we do."
Well done to all the finalists!
Contract Catering Awards 2025
We are thrilled to announce that our general manager, Susan Vuli, won the 2025 Contract Catering Awards (CCA) People Development Award. Susan is recognised for her transparent and collaborative management style. Her dedication to fostering a positive work environment has greatly enhanced staff performance and wellbeing.
We were also shortlisted for the CCA Marketing Award.
These awards recognise excellence and innovation in the contract catering industry, celebrating caterers, teams, and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding performance, creativity, and contribution to the sector over the past year.
As the only local authority provider present, this is a significant achievement.
Well done to everyone involved!
APPG Excellence in School Food Awards 2025
We are delighted with our recent award win in the Groups category of the APPG Excellence in School Food Awards. The groups category is for an organisation or catering team, who have used their initiative to serve healthy food to children and who have been able to work together to achieve positive outcomes on local communities and children.
We have 21 initiatives for primary schools to increase engagement and ultimately increase income. These efforts have led to a 19% increase in meal income, improved client loyalty, and enhanced community engagement.
We were also recognised as finalists for two awards in the Individuals category.
Susan Vuli, General Manager: "We are incredibly proud to have won the Groups category at the APPG Excellence in School Food Awards 2025. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Our 21 initiatives for primary schools have not only increased engagement and income but have also strengthened client loyalty and community ties. Being finalists in the Individuals category further highlights the exceptional efforts of our team members."
Public Sector Catering Awards 2024
We were pleased to announce our marketing award win at the Public Sector Catering (PSC) Awards 2024.
Following this win, we were delighted to also be nominated for the LACA Marketing Award, sponsored by Wafflemeister. Although we were runners-up, it was a fantastic achievement to be nominated for two prestigious awards in the same year. The ceremony was attended by leaders in the school food sector, making it a memorable evening for all.
The LACA School Food Show is a hub for discovering the latest trends in food, drink, and technology for school catering. It was also a wonderful chance to catch up with our valued suppliers.