• Top Story

• Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2009

• Cranberry's Staff Achievement

• Cranberry Foods Agricultural Staff Celebrate Success

• New First Responder Kit

• Citizenship Rules!

• Excellence Awards

• Latest Seminar- EVENT

• NewTeaching Course - PTTLS

• Training Quality Standards

• Jan - Dec 2008

• Jan - Dec 2007

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Farmshop & Retail Seminar

Ideas, knowledge and information on how to attract more people into your business.

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Citizenship Learners become radio stars!

Poultec is currently delivering a second highly successful ESOL for Citizenship course in association with the Norfolk Learning Partnership, the Association of Colleges for the Eastern Region and the Norfolk Library Service.

This course has 18 learners from all corners of the globe who are improving their English skills while studying in a Citizenship context. The course has seen visitors from the Norfolk Constabulary, The Identity and Passport Service and the Norfolk Guidance Service. One extra special visit was paid however, when Radio Norfolk came to interview the learners about their reasons for doing the course and to find out what they thought about the activities. Click here to listen to the interviews broadcasted on 15th October.

For information about Poultec's ESOL for Citizenship courses, please contact Rachel Oner on 01362 850983.

Click here to listen to the recording.

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Pfizer trainee winners revealed

Andrew Hall and Georgina Cherrill are the 2009 winners of the Pfizer Trainee of the Year Awards.

The awards, worth more than £2500, were presented by Defra minister Jim Fitzpatrick at the House of Commons earlier this week (5 November).

Now in its third year, the awards recognise the importance of training in helping UK pig and poultry producers to meet higher welfare and food safety standards in an increasingly competitive market.

Andrew Hall was voted the poultry winner by readers of Poultry World. He began working for PD Hook in its Gunness hatchery, North Lincolnshire, and was deployed on to a poultry breeding farm after a fire closed the hatchery for nine months.

After a period at the firm's Hatfield broiler breeder unit, he moved to another large 40,000 breeder unit at Susworth.

He completed an NVQ Level 2 in Livestock Production in March and is seeking to further his qualifications in rearing breeders and broilers.

Nathan Raines, academy manager of Poultec Training who supervised Mr Hall described him as a person who grasps an opportunity with both hands.

"He is an excellent example of someone who has the motivation and keenness to push himself to the next level and through training and development to learn the skills required to become a fully competent and important member of the team.

On the pig side, the winner was Georgina Cherrill who works on the Heath breeder unit of Ermine Farms, near Gainsborough.

The judging panel chaired by Richard Longthorp said she had embraced training to contribute more effectively to the unit where she works and to deal with specific problems, resulting in sustained improved performance.

"In addition, she was able to demonstrate the importance of good and well-structured communication within a team of workers and how this contributes to a more effective unit output," he said.

The award comprises a £2000 training grant payable to the employer and a £500 cash prize for the winning trainee.

Runners up for the poultry category were Tom Neal who works on a Cobb Europe breeding farm in Norfolk and Anthony Plaskett who manages a broiler unit at Billinghay, Lincolnshire for Moy Park.

The pig runners up were Roger Johnston who works at Ballygoney Pigs in Northern Ireland and Richard Battersby who works at LSB Pigs near Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

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The Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2009

The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards honour the very best food and drink manufacturing companies. They assess companies' progress across a range of criteria: from category and supply chain management to new product development; from process innovation, to health, safety and environmental management; and from marketing to human resource management and Apprenticeships.
The awards provide a benchmark for the entire food and drink processing industry to aspire to by showcasing those who truly excel in every category.
This year two of Poultec Training Ltd's Apprentices have reached the Finals.
They are:
Martyna Zelazek from Premier Foods, Methwold
Mathew Durden From Bunwell Butchers

Martyna Zelazek
Martyna was on the Apprenticeship programme at Premier Foods for 8 months and worked very hard towards completion. This was made more impressive with the English skills that Martyna has developed whilst on programme and the achievement of her level one key skills in communication. Martyna worked very hard to ensure her knowledge was fully represented through her work and was a very diligent candidate. She was a real pleasure to assess.
Since completing her Apprenticeship award last year Martyna has become motivated to learn in general and is always looking for ways to improve her standards both in current and future ambitions. This has raised Martyna's profile with her management team who have since, encouraged Martyna to take on more responsibility. This includes a recent promotion to team leader. Martyna has already looked to widen her horizons by completing an Institute of Leadership and Management course and has progressed onto the L3 NVQ in Food Manufacture.

Mathew Durden
Matthew has completed a Butchery Apprenticeship. This training has taken place both in the work place and at Poultec where the Butchery suite has enabled him to learn in a relaxed environment at a relaxed pace. After Matthew started his training, his employer decided to leave the trade, leaving the shop shut and Matthew looking for work. After discussions with his family, his Mum, (Stephanie Duerden), decided to take on the running of the shop, employing Matthew to carry out the butchery and prepare the counter for display and sale. Along with this, he has given the benefit of what he has learnt over the last few years about the industry.
Matthew has risen to the challenges put before him taking on the responsibility he has, demonstrating a real commitment to the work and the training to ensure that the business grows in popularity. Matthews confidence and ability continues to grow and I feel he has much more to offer, introducing a young generation back to butchery and enabling a local business to survive. What Matthew is doing has also inspired Stephanie Duerden to start an Adult Apprenticeship and attend butchery courses herself, developing new skills with a view to assisting Matthew more in the shop.

I'm sure you'll join everyone at Poultec in wishing them the best of luck for the 12th November!!!

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Cranberry's Staff Achievement Recognised

Cranberry Foods employees have recently celebrated the successful completion of their second group of NVQ candidates at a ceremony held at the companies Hollybank Site near Derby. The group was made up of 11 candidates based on grower sites located across the midlands area. Also present at the ceremony were Clay Burrows (Agricultural Director, Cranberry Foods), Pam Westwood (HR Manager Cranberry Foods), Nathan Raines (Academy Manager, Poultec Training) and Leroy Burrell (Industry Partnerships Manager, Poultec Training Limited.

On presentation of the certificates Mr Burrows congratulated the successful candidates and thanked them for their hard work and commitment. He added how he was proud that the company was at the forefront of staff development within their sector and explained how they plan to have all staff put through the same training programme over the next 2 years. Leroy Burrell who was the candidates’ assessor on the award added his congratulations and complemented the group on the quality of evidence produced and the effort he had seen put in by the candidates.

Cranberry Foods on-going training partnership with Poultec Training has now seen 21 employees successfully complete their NVQ programmes with a further 10 more on programme in the Hereford area who are on track to finish early in the New Year.

Candidate List:
Gary Mawer
William Davies
George Sharpe
David Motley
Colin Bolton
Paul Johnson
Steven Cross
Kevin Henson
Antony Lean
Gareth Hawcroft
Paul Hunt

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Cranberry Foods Agricultural Staff Celebrate Success

10 Cranberry Foods staff were recently presented with their NVQ Livestock Production (Poultry) certificates from Agricultural Director Clay Burrows. The group, all based in the North Yorkshire Area were the 1st Group of candidates to achieve their qualifications as part of a comprehensive training programme Cranberry Foods have established with training Provider Poultec Training. Poultec’s Agricultural Programme Manager Nathan Raines, also present at the ceremony, congratulated the group on their achievement commenting on the excellent standard of evidence produced and the positive attitudes demonstrated by all of the candidates. Mr Burrows added his congratulations to the group and thanked them for their hard work and commitment.

Cranberry Foods are the first UK Turkey Producer to sign-up to the Poultry Meat Training Initiative (PMTI) and have worked with Poultec to establish a company wide training programme to enable them to meet the new training standards established through the scheme. Cranberry’s second group of NVQ candidates have now completed in the Midlands and will be presented with their certificates in the near future with a further group of candidates in Herefordshire currently progressing well.

Cranberry Foods HR Manager Pam Westwood who sits on the Technical Committee of the PMTI was extremely pleased to see the group receive their certificates and re-iterated the company’s commitment to staff training and development, and was looking forward to see further employees achieve this qualification in the future.

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Presentation of New First Responder Kit by Edward Bales,
Managing Director of Poultec Training to the Mattishall First Responders

Geoff Dorrie and his team of Mattishall First Responders, met at South Green Park Enterprise Centre, Mattishall today, 29th September 2009, to receive a new First Responder Kit from Edward Bales, Managing Director of Poultec Training Limited.
The new kit, which costs £2500.00, was bought thanks to the fundraising efforts of Poultec and Cafe Verde at South Green Park. Funds were donated by the company following their successful annual beer festival. Proceeds from a couple of quiz nights organized by Cafe Verde and supported by the community also helped towards the cost of the kit which includes a defibrillator and pulse oximeter amongst other life-saving equipment.

They were joined at the presentation by Andrew Barlow, the Responder Manager for Norfolk, who explained how vital the role of the First Responders is in helping to save lives.
There are 52 First Responder teams across Norfolk composed of approximately 350 volunteers from all walks of life - from housewives, to barristers, nurses and retired people.
Mr Barlow explained that in the course of a year, 175,000 people will have a heart attack in the UK.
Of these, 70% go on to have a cardiac arrest. Only 5% of those who have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting will survive. For every minute that goes by before the ambulance arrives, the survival rate drops by 10%. With the introduction of First Responders into communities, the survival rates
have already increased by 60%.

Geoff Dorrie has been well known in the village of Mattishall for some time through his Heartstart
excercise classes which he runs at the local village hall. He came up with the idea of setting up a First Responder unit in the village in late 2007 and after contacting Andrew Barlow, set out in the search for volunteers as well as finding funding for the vital equipment needed in a basic kit.
Mr Dorrie who had written to businesses in the village asking for donations towards the funding of a kit thanked the Team at South Green Park for their support and in particular the hospitality team led by Mark Raines and Lizzie Hawkins.
Edward Bales explained "The team of volunteer first responders have our total admiration for the work that they do so our decision to help with this funding was an easy one."

Jo Tomlin, a nurse at the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, was the first person to come forward and volunteer to join Geoff Dorrie along with Gary Davision, a Norwich fireman from the village.
There is currently a team of 7 which, as well as Geoff, Jo and Gary include Holly Brown, Sarah Vargeson, Roger Serpell and Lucy Bambridge

After undergoing initial training and assessment, the team meet up once a month at South Green Park for two hours of training on new techniques as well as practicing what they know through role play
and assessments.

Mr Dorrie commented "The team are really pleased to be able to come to South Green Park Enterprise Centre to do their training each month as many other teams have to meet in each other's living rooms, we are really grateful to Edward and his team for their support."

The First Responder Team went live in February 2008 and since then have answered 180 calls. The new equipment provided will enable the Mattishall First responders to have two complete kits which will be vital resources for the village and surrounding area.
Anyone interested in becoming a First Responder, please contact the Administration Department of the Norfolk First Responders on 01284 731802, www.respondersuk.org. Mattishall First Responders will shortly be launching their own website.

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British Turkey Awards

Poultec Training Limited are proud to be one of the sponsors of the 13th British Turkey Awards. The awards evening held each year within the prestigious setting of Claridge's in London is one of the highlights of the Turkey industry's calendar. 2009 was no exception, the awards ceremony was hosted by TV chef Lesley Waters, who presented twelve awards to companies such as Bernard Matthews, Cranberry Foods, Lincs Turkeys and Kellys Turkeys.  The event successfully raised over £5,000 for the SPARKS charity, which was represented at the event by the charities co-presidents and TV Sports Personalities Gabby and Kenny Logan.

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Citizenship Rules! - Friday 3rd July 2009

Citizenship Rules! 01/07/09

Learners are celebrating success in passing an ESOL for Citizenship (English for Speakers of Other Languages) course in Norwich. A very successful course has been run by Poultec Training Limited in conjunction with the Norfolk Library Service.

Part funded by the Norfolk Learning Partnership, and assisted by the European Social Funded ACER (Association of Colleges of the Eastern Region) Stepping-stones project, this has been the first course of its kind to be run in the county for two years and has been well-attended.

Ten adult learners from all over the world have taken an 11 week intensive course to improve their English language and study topics associated with living in the UK, from history to politics. The course, held in the modern setting of the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, also covered the topic of British culture. In an effort to teach about being an active Citizen, guests were also invited to speak at the course. Visits were paid by the Norfolk Constabulary Safer Neighbourhood Team, a past learner who had been thorough the Citizenship process and all the learners were given a full introductory tour of the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library and all its services. Inspector Lisa Hooper of the Norwich City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team said of their involvement in the course:
"Norfolk Constabulary is delighted to support the Citizenship Course. Attending the course presents a fantastic opportunity to build some real relationships with members of the community. People who have recently arrived in the UK may be totally unaware of the unique role of the police here, and this is a way for us to allay any fears and provide important information. We are striving to build strong communities in Norwich and the citizenship course is a useful way of starting that process".

All 10 learners have achieved national ESOL qualifications in the process of the course which was particularly aimed at harder to reach communities in the County and those people who are unable to follow the usual path of obtaining Citizenship.

The Norfolk Learning Partnership (NLP) is an impartial organisation which aims to join up and drive forward the learning agenda across Norfolk. The NLP's Manager, Andy Hodgson said:

"The Norfolk Learning Partnership has recognised the need to support language training for those whose first language is not English as a way of integrating them into both work and their community. We are pleased to be able to support the ESOL for Citizenship course offered by Poultec as an innovative way of developing English Language skills."

Poultec Training Limited is primarily a Work-based learning provider with specialist Skills for Life tutors working across the county. For further information on ESOL for Citizenship Courses, please contact Rachel Oner, Skills for Life Programme Manager at Poultec Training Ltd on 01362 850983.

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Mattishall Training Provider Rewards Excellence - 13th May 2009

Poultec Training Limited has recognised the hard work and commitment for a group of outstanding learners during their annual Excellence Awards.

The ceremony, at Poultec's South Green Park conference centre was held on Wednesday 13th May as part of Adult Learners Week and drew managers and staff from a wide range of companies throughout the region.

Nathan Raines from Poultec Training introduced the awards saying that this year had seen some excellent candidates who had gone that extra mile to achieve their NVQ or Apprenticeship.

Awards were presented for seven categories which included Leadership and Management, Computing, Skills For Life, Customer Service, Retail, Agriculture and Food Manufacturing.

One example of the commitment, effort and dedication recognised by the awards is 17 year old Matthew Duerden. Matthew faced unemployment when his employer decided to close Bunwell Butchery and therefore decided, with the support of his family, to take on the butchery himself. Since then Matthew has gone from strength to strength. The shop is thriving and Matthew is putting into practice the skills and knowledge he has picked up during his training with Poultec.

All of the winners had achieved their qualifications through the Learning and Skills Council's Apprenticeship and Train to Gain Programmes and Poultec's own, European Social Fund programme, BRITE2. Poultec's Managing Director, in closing the event praised all of the winners for their outstanding achievement as well as commending their employers for their support and commitment to staff development.

Anyone wanting to take advantage of any of the training opportunities Poultec can offer should contact them on 01362 850983 or email enquiries@poultec.co.uk

Pictured are the winners:

Jolene Andrews, Heinz; Jason Auker, Kinnerton Confectionery; Matthew Duerden, Bunwell Butchers; Samantha Vallis, Homebase; Kerriejane Walpole, Homebase; Holly Bennett-Jones, Bags Etc; Gabor Grosz, G.W. Padley; Darren Lawes, Moy Park; Julian Falconer, Devine Restaurant; Sharon Regan, Ailwyn Hall; Anastasia Jones, Premier Foods; Nelio Cardoso, Cafe Verde; Samantha Simper, Mansell Construction; Julia Parry, Cape Amethyst; Kevin Addison, Premier Foods; Julie Potter, Banham Poultry; Pauline Fenn, Edwards and Blake; Andrew Ferrari, Heatex.

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Top Accolade for Mattishall Training Company - January 2009

Making training fit employers needs; that's what Poultec Training are all about and this has now been recognised by their status as a Training Quality Standard certificated provider.

Having been through a rigorous assessment process, Poultec were delighted when, in late December, they received the news. This sets them with a group of only 93 colleges and private providers nationally and only 6 in the eastern region.

Sponsored by the Learning and Skills Council, the Training Quality Standard is an assessment framework designed to recognise and celebrate the best organisations delivering training and development solutions. The Standard allows organisations to explain their strategy, the approaches they deploy, and the results they achieve, and to submit this for robust assessment with the potential of certification for those meeting the high standards set for capability and performance.

The accolade recognises Poultec's performance in areas including Retail, Customer Service, Call Centres, Hospitality and Catering, Business Administration, Management, Skills for Life, Computing and Agriculture as well as recognising the company as having achieved excellence in Food and Drink Manufacturing.
Justine Fosh, executive director of the Food and Drink National Skills Academy, said: "Poultec Training Limited is a worthy recipient of this award. The company is a valued and incredibly well-respected member of the National Skills Academy for its innovative approach to developing and delivering quality training solutions, and the Training Quality Standard further recognises and reinforces that expertise."

Poultec's Training Director, Neale McArdle is proud of the organisation's achievement; "Our team work hard to make sure that our training is high quality, targeted and effective. Our status as a TQS certificated provider is a fantastic achievement, recognises that hard work and reinforces our commitment to businesses in the East."

More information on the Training Quality Standard can be found at:
www.trainingqualitystandard.co.uk

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EVENT - Retailing Successfully through the Seasons - 20th January 2009

Do not miss this opportunity to attend what promises to be an exciting and useful day full of practical tips, terrific ideas and information on how to ensure your customers, new and old, keep coming through the door and putting more products in the basket!

DATE: 20th Januray 2009
TIME: 9.30am - 4.30pm
VENUE: South Green Park Enterprise Centre, Mattishall
GUEST SPEAKERS: Georgina Mason from the award winning Gonalston Farm Shop
Jonathan Winchester - Managing Director, Shopper Anonymous UK

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NEW COURSE: Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS)

Poultec Training Ltd is now running Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS) courses.

This course is a new 30 hour preparatory course for all teachers new to the lifelong learning sector (LLS). It can be accredited at Level 3 or Level 4 and forms the first stage of the new suite of qualifications that all teachers in the LLS are required to take.

All of the course trainers are experienced, qualified teachers and teacher educators in the lifelong learning sector and the course is run in a relaxed and friendly environment.

If you are interested in attending this course or would like any further information please contact Rose Waterman on 01362 850983 or drop us an email at enquiries@poultec.co.uk.

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