Scottish Bakers Newsletter September 2020

THE SCOTTISH BAKER September 2020

In this issue: - Message from Rural Economy Secretary - Customer Choice Award winners revealed!

- Training takes off again!

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

WELCOME

RONNIE MILES

LINDA HILL

President

Vice President

As we go to press with this autumn edition of Scottish Baker, we mark over six months since the beginning of the most challenging public health, social and economic conditions we have faced in most of our lifetimes.

This has been a truly extraordinary year for us all so far, and while recovery appears to occasionally stutter, it does feel that we are making progress in our businesses and communities.

Our wonderful Scottish Bakers family has shown itself to be determined and resilient in the face of the many challenges faced throughout this time. I am heartened to hear that most, if not all, members have come through these dark months of challenge and adversity.

I understand and share the worry felt by members as the COVID crisis gripped us all and like so many friends and colleagues, I was faced with the daunting challenge of re-opening my business after an extended period of closure.

The Scottish Bakers team has also performed wonders! The team has been resolute in maintaining contact with members throughout the crisis with its regular e-updates. I know these are welcomed by many as an essential source of information, advice and guidance as we all try to deal with the ever-changing restrictions and regulations. A special thank you in particular to Alasdair & Lucy, the regular communication and updates from Scottish Bakers continues to be excellent.

I’ve been hugely impressed too by the widespread coverage for our members and their work on our social media channels and in the pages of British Baker. If you’re not on social media yet, I urge you to do so and start following our feeds.

Our Training Team is also back out in the field and I urge all members to consider the many benefits apprenticeships can bring to their businesses; and it will help the association recover from the impact of the crisis.

The entire team deserve our thanks and congratulations for their unstinting commitment and hard work.

Many weeks on from my own re-opening I am relieved to report that business is picking up and I trust this is the case across the trade, though plenty of challenges remain.

And so we must not become complacent; the coronavirus has shown itself to be a fearsome foe and it rests with us all to continue to take all the precautions we can to minimise opportunities for transmission.

From what I can see, Scottish Bakers are rising to this challenge every day. In bakehouses and shops around the country, members are keeping the ovens on, customers served and the virus at bay – you all deserve recognition for these continued efforts.

It is difficult to know when we might come together socially once more and there will be plenty celebrating when we do, but until that day comes I hope that this newsletter and the regular e-updates keep you connected in different ways. Can’t wait to see you all.

Best wishes,

ALASDAIR SMITH CEO

This is the third Scottish Bakers “lockdown newsletter” and all those months ago when this crisis emerged, we could never have anticipated the ongoing restrictions to our lives and businesses. Even as some of the harshest of these measures are now being eased, it is clear we must remain vigilant.

In this edition, it is my pleasure to welcome a contribution from Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, MSP. Mr Ewing has been a vocal supporter of Scotland’s Bakers over the years and we are grateful for the close relationship we enjoy with him and his department.

We also feature a column from British Baker, which has provided us and our members with an outstanding platform to share our wonderful achievements in the face of diversity over the past few months. I would like to record my special thanks to outgoing Editor, Vince Bamford, who has left the title to spend more time with his family: he was a stalwart of the trade and a committed supporter of Scottish Bakers.

The coming weeks may well be uncertain, but from what I have seen and experienced over the last six months I have confidence that our trade will continue regardless; ensuring that those in our communities and High Streets can continue to enjoy their fresh daily bread, savoury snacks and sweet treats.

What’s more, remember that our trade is a £1.4 billion industry (about a quarter of all Scottish food and drink manufacturing), employing around 12,000 people around the country: this makes us an important part of Scotland’s wider economic recovery and an essential provider of employment during this difficult time.

You are all food heroes and I applaud you.

CONTENTS Message from the Rural Economy Secretary British Baker In Memoriam Member Services

The Importance of Good Design to Help Increase Sales Scottish Baker of the Year Customer Choice

Member News

Training News

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

INDUSTRY NEWS

RURAL ECONOMY SECRETARY FERGUS EWING I would like to take this opportunity to emphasise how much I appreciate the dedication and hard work of the bakers across Scotland who have kept supplying the nation throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Bakers are heroes of the high street and our communities, and have more than risen to the challenges of the pandemic.

I have enjoyed very much speaking at your annual conference in Glasgow and can safely say I have rarely seen so many people enjoying themselves so well. I very much appreciate the hard work you do for the country - and know that you are probably starting work in the morning even earlier than the farmers! I do look forward, if invited, to speaking at your annual get together once again as soon as the situation allows and we can get back to enjoying these events.

The Scottish Government has provided a range of support for businesses to help mitigate the worst impacts of the crisis, including 100% retail rates relief, business support grants and Pivotal Enterprise Resilience funding. I am pleased that many businesses in the bakery sector have been able to access this support.

Last year we also provided £125,000 of funding to help independent and family-run bakers across Scotland in providing modern healthy food-to-go facilities, with a focus on reducing waste. The grant scheme, administered by Scottish Bakers, is one of the many ways we want to keep working with and supporting bakers throughout the country.

I would like to also pay tribute to Scottish Bakers for the vital role Alasdair Smith and his team have played during this crisis. I greatly appreciate how hard the organisation has worked to communicate with its members – initially daily, but now weekly – on all aspects of the crisis and the emerging regulations and advice coming from government and various other agencies. The role of trade associations has never been more important. The access to the industry that Scottish Bakers has provided during these tough times has been of great help to me and my colleagues and I would urge all bakery members to continue their support of Scottish Bakers.

Fergus Ewing, MSP

I also recognise the fantastic work Scottish Bakers does delivering more than 400 Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) to the food sector in Scotland each year. MAs are a core part of our skills system, enabling employers to gain the skilled workforce they need, with employers praising MAs for improving productivity, staff morale, level of service and product quality.

MAs have an essential role to play as we begin to recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and reduce youth unemployment. I urge members to speak to Scottish Bakers for more information about the programme and how to get involved.

The pandemic has had a profound impact on how we live our lives, which I know is posing a challenge for many businesses. This is why the Scottish Government is backing the new Scotland Loves Local national campaign to encourage everyone to think local first and support their local town centres and high streets safely.

LAST YEAR WE ALSO PROVIDED £125,000 OF FUNDING TO HELP INDEPENDENT AND FAMILY-RUN BAKERS ACROSS SCOTLAND IN PROVIDING MODERN HEALTHY FOOD-TO-GO FACILITIES, WITH A FOCUS ON REDUCING WASTE.” Fergus Ewing, MSP The Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy

The coming months will bring further challenges as we continue to ease safely out of lockdown. With the end of the Brexit transition period less than five months away, I know many of you will also be concerned about further uncertainty and the effect this will have on your businesses. Going forward, I would like to reiterate my commitment to supporting bakers across Scotland and to working closely with Scottish Bakers to mitigate these challenges.

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WE ARE ALREADY HELPING BAKERS TO GROW THEIR SALES BY SELLING TO THEIR CUSTOMERS ONLINE. ITS QUICK AND EASY PLUS NO IT SKILLS ARE NECESSARY.

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

INDUSTRY NEWS

DON’T LET YOUR CUSTOMERS FORGET YOUR VITAL SERVICE A word from British Baker At the risk of preaching to the choir, Scotland is home to an incredibly vibrant and close-knit baking community.

Scottish Bakers chief executive Alasdair Smith recently described it to British Baker as a ‘family’, and the way in which businesses have worked to help each other and their communities during the coronavirus crisis is testament to this.

We have covered plenty of examples of the work being done by Scotland’s baking industry, including organising community baking competitions, adapting to produce hand sanitiser and helping the vulnerable.

And while in no way wishing to understate the enormity of the challenges facing the industry, research by Scottish Bakers and the Craft Bakers’ Association suggests bakers are feeling more confident in the future.

Vince Bamford, second from right at the 2019 Annual Conference

As CBA chairman George Fuller recently put it: “The industry is not only surviving, but bakers are making the most of the current situation, and we are confident about its future success.”

And to succeed, bakers have to accept that the impact of COVID-19 will be felt for a long time.

For example, consumers who were previously shy of online shopping have embraced it as a result of lockdown. This presents an opportunity to businesses that can offer a user-friendly ordering system and reliable delivery – something many bakers were swift to do in the early days of the crisis.

As for those businesses that delivered to customers during those darkest days of the outbreak, or helped their local communities in other ways, remind them about it.

Some shoppers have quickly slipped into old habits as lockdown has eased, and turned their backs on local businesses in favour of supermarkets. The multis and local shops both have roles to play, of course, but bakers have provided a lifeline for many residents, delivering essential food items to those unable or unwilling to visit a supermarket.

If you provided such a service, don’t let the customers who relied on you forget it – remind them by social media, email or good old-fashioned leaflet. You’ve earned a little loyalty from them.

And when it comes to product development for a post-covid market, consider the boom frozen food has enjoyed during lockdown as consumers found ways of shopping less

frequently. Is this a trend your business could tap?

Just as our readers are looking to the future and adapting their businesses, so is British Baker.

Central to this has been investment in a new system to produce our website, britishbaker. co.uk. This is already delivering a vastly improved experience for users, whether viewing the site on a desktop, tablet or phone.

Alongside this, we are evolving our magazine to enable us to better serve the needs of a modern bakery audience. British Baker will now publish six bumper editions a year, each tightly themed around specific, core aspects of the market, such as sweet bakery, equipment or bread.

We will also continue to deliver the latest baking industry news via our email newsletter.

If you don’t yet receive it, register for free here: account.bakeryinfo.co.uk Like many of Scotland’s bakery businesses, we have served our customers for more than 100 years – and plan to ensure we do so for at least 100 more.

Amy North Deputy editor, British Baker

Amy North, Deputy editor, British Baker

BRITISH BAKER EDITOR STEPPING DOWN The editor of British Baker, Vince Bamford is stepping down from the role to spend more time with his family. We’ve had the pleasure of his company at many a Scottish Bakers conference during his time as editor and we wish him well for the future. In a note to Chief Executive Alasdair Smith he said: “Reporting on the work of Scottish Bakers has been a highlight. The sense of passion, humour and community in the organisation – and particularly the conference – is an inspiration. Long may it continue!”

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

IN MEMORIAM

GRANT AND SANDY MILNE OF FISHER & DONALDSON JAMES GRANT MILNE James Grant Milne, Baker & Confectioner, retired director of Fisher & Donaldson, and Pilot, has died at the age of 89. Known as Grant Milne, he was the son of baker and confectioner Alex Milne. Alex worked for his brother-in-law (and Grant’s Uncle), Willie Fisher, who set up in business with David Donaldson on returning from the Great War in 1919.

In 1940 Grant’s father took over the now established firm of Fisher & Donaldson.

Grant became the 3rd generation baker in the firm when he started as a messenger boy, age 10 in early 1942.

After successfully passing his Higher Leaving Certificate with five Highers in 1948, Grant received a scholarship from the Scottish Association of Master Bakers (now Scottish Bakers) to study Baking and Confectionary Food Science at Glasgow’s Royal Technical College. This was a full-time course but Grant returned to Cupar to help in the bakery every weekend and at the end of his course in 1950 his father sent him to work for James McDougall Bakers Ltd in Dundee. Here he perfected his confectionery skills and became a master in meringues.

In 1949, Grant returned to manage the St Andrews branch of Fisher & Donaldson and worked hard to establish himself as a high-quality craft baker.

In 1956, Grant took a loan from the British Linen Bank and purchased the St Andrews branch of Fisher & Donaldson from his father and would eventually buy the remainder of Fisher & Donaldson when his father retired.

The success of Grant’s Fisher & Donaldson business was built on the sound foundations of great baking and confectionery, proved in the experience gained from working in other bakery businesses, like his father had done before him and which he instilled in two of his five sons, Sandy and Eric, who were to take over the business on Grant’s own retirement in 1991.

James Grant Milne

Sandy Milne

Grant introduced many new products over his long career, including the company’s best-selling bread, the ‘Dr Floyd’ loaf, named after his wife Audrey’s father.

SANDY MILNE

Grant was a proud member of Scottish Bakers, The British Confectioners Association and The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee A keen pilot until the age of 60, he and Audrey travelled all over Europe, bringing back bakery ideas and skills from his contacts in Belgium (chocolates), Germany (delivering scotch pies to the Black Watch), Greece, Sweden and Denmark.

Unfortunately Audrey suffered a brain aneurism in late 1995 and Grant faithfully cared for her until she died in 2000.

Grant passed away peacefully in his sleep.

Sadly his eldest son, Sandy, died on the same day, 7th August 2020. Grant is survived by his 4 four other sons, Eric, Ian, Raymond and Stewart, 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. A small private funeral was held on Thursday 20th August.

One of the best-known figures in Scottish baking, Sandy (Alexander) Milne, of Fisher & Donaldson, has died at the age of 64.

He passed away suddenly but peacefully at Ninewells Hospital on 7th August.

As the fourth generation of Fisher & Donaldson management, he and his brother Eric led the business to great success over a 45-year period. Sandy’s passion for, and dedication to, baking was displayed by his perfection of the treasured fudge doughnut, and his hard-earned reputation as the fastest oatcake pinner around. On top of his business achievements, which included the appointment of a Royal Warrant in 2011, he will be remembered as an inspirational, charming and friendly boss who loved connecting with the many colleagues, business partners and customers of Fisher & Donaldson. Sandy retired at the end of 2019 to focus on family life and travelling.

Sandy was a caring husband, father, father-in-law, brother, grandpa, son and a much-loved uncle to his nieces, nephews and their children. He is survived by his wife Jane, children Jamie, Katie and Stuart, grandchildren Trevor, Elliot, Olive and Edie, and his four brothers, Eric, Ian, Raymond and Stewart.

The Milne family would like to thank the many people sending their love and thoughts at this difficult time.

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

MEMBER SERVICES

THE CHANGING FACE OF HEALTHCARE IN THE UK Coronavirus has changed every aspect of our lives: how we work, how we shop and how we socialise.

It also appears to be changing how we look after our health. According to a recent national survey* a growing number of people in the UK are considering taking out private medical insurance, with 27% of those polled saying they have thought about paying privately for healthcare, compared with only 15% before the pandemic struck.

The NHS response to the coronavirus outbreak has been heroic. The skill and dedication of hospital staff have saved many lives. But to enable the health service to meet the unprecedented demand caused

by COVID-19, many specialist treatments and routine operations had to be postponed.

And concern over lengthening NHS waiting times is the main reason why people are now thinking about taking out private medical insurance.

Of the 1,000 people questioned for the survey, three-quarters said it was long NHS waiting lists that were their main concern, while 67% were worried about the NHS being able to promptly deliver routine care.

These concerns seem to be well founded as medical experts agree that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on NHS services could be with us for some considerable time.

In June this year, health bosses warned it would take four years to restore the NHS services to pre-COVID levels. This will inevitably result in much longer delays for diagnostic tests, while it is feared the number of people waiting for operations could rise from 4.2 million to 10 million by the end of 2020.** Moreover, these depressing forecasts don’t take into account the further disruption to NHS services that a second wave of COVID-19 would cause.

Private medical insurance avoids the anxiety of having to wait months for tests and treatment. Outpatient and inpatient care are covered, with patients being able to choose where they are treated from a wide selection of private or NHS hospitals all over the UK.

Patients whose care involves being admitted to hospital overnight or for a longer period, can stay in a private room that has television and wi-fi, with relaxed visiting times for the convenience of family and friends.

Most providers of private health insurance offer a range of medical plans that can be tailored to meet individual and family needs.

For a relatively modest financial outlay, more and more people are discovering that they can receive medical care when they need it and avoid the worry that comes from waiting for NHS treatment.

It’s not just individuals who are turning to the private sector for their healthcare needs.

Affordability and its growing popularity is why a rising number of companies and other organisations are offering private healthcare as a major employment or membership benefit.

MORE INFORMATION For further information login to our website and head to www.scottishbakers.org/page/ Medical_care_plans HMCA/S PLC (trading as Hospital and Medical Care Association, HMCA and HMCA Members) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:307587). HMCA/s PLC is a company registered in England, company number: 01362094, registered office: Beech Hall, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 0EA. * Consumer Intelligence survey ** The Guardian 27 June 2020

Private health insurance can’t prevent you from falling ill. But it does offer the peace of mind that comes from knowing that in the event you do need medical care you will be diagnosed and treated in the quickest possible time. And in these uncertain times that is something that many people seem happy to pay for.

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

MARKETING

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD DESIGN TO HELP INCREASE SALES

By Neil Ferguson, Creative Director of Form by Thought Thankfully our businesses can once again open their doors to customers. However, COVID-19, and Lockdown in particular, has seen a definite shift in the way people choose to shop, with increasing numbers already preferring to order online.

But, with change, often comes opportunity.

A well considered brand has never been as important as many businesses try to connect with their customers in ways they never did before.

Here are what I believe to be the fundamental design principles that will help a business to increase its sales.

BRANDING Most businesses are about great products and great service, that’s the key ingredient for success. But, to take a business to the next level it needs to evolve from ‘business’ to ‘brand’. Good branding is about storytelling.

Your story is what makes you unique from your competitors. It should be more than just cosmetic and certainly more than just a logo.

If your story resonates with your customers, it can form strong emotional connections and gain their loyalty for the future.

New label designs for The Blunt Chisel Brewery, based in Phoenix Mill, once a sawmill for the Blairadam estate, Fife

WEBSITE In 2020 a well designed and functional business website is essential. It’s not only an opportunity for people to further engage with your brand story, but also helps to convert visitors into customers. Think of it as an instantly accessible shop window, and it certainly doesn’t have to be complicated.

The new website helps to convert visitors into customers

MORE INFORMATION Neil Ferguson is the award-winning creative director of Dunblane based design studio Form by Thought.

Services include:

SOCIAL MEDIA Good communication via social media is a key component to being able to effectively connect with your customers. Strategic promotional campaigns can boost traffic to your website or shop which can then be converted into sales.

A SUCCESSFUL BRANDING PROJECT In 2019, after a consultation with owner Roy Herd, we rebranded The Blunt Chisel Brewery.

So called due to it’s location in Phoenix Mill which was once a sawmill for the Blairadam estate in Fife. The historic location provided a wealth of inspiration for our creative solution.

We created a suite of log-print art to represent each of the brewery’s core beers. Since the rebrand, Roy has seen a significant return on investment and sales have increased by just over 375%.

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The new logo represents both the history of the brewery’s location in Pheonix Sawmill and also Roy’s preferred route to market, which is through bottles rather than casks. The logo’s symbol depicts a cross section of a tree but with the outer bark being formed by the shape of a beer bottle top.

SINCE THE REBRAND WE HAVE RECEIVED AMAZING FEEDBACK FROM OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS AND SEEN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE INTEREST FROM LOCAL SHOPS AND ONLINE SOCIAL SITES SUCH AS UNTAPPD.COM. I REALLY CAN’T MAKE BEER FAST ENOUGH AT THE MOMENT TO MEET THE DEMAND. Roy Herd, Owner, The Blunt Chisel Brewery

- Branding and graphic design - Website and e-commerce design and build - Design for social media - Packaging and label design - Creative copywriting - Environmental retail graphics - Advertising If you have a project you would like to discuss please contact Neil on: t: 01786 358 837 m: 07599 281 053 e: neil@formbythought.com or visit www.formbythought.com

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

EVENTS

SCOTTISH BAKER OF THE YEAR CUSTOMER CHOICE WINNERS REVEALED! The search for the 2020/21 Scottish Baker of Year might have been cancelled but over 14,000 bakery customers in Scotland still voted for their favourite baker and, along with some help from the wonderful Mich Turner, we were delighted to surprise our four category winners over Zoom in early July.

Scottish Bakers ambassador and star baker in her own right, Mich Turner MBE said, “It’s not just for our daily bread that we rely on our local bakers and who doesn’t love a tasty treat, perfect pie or super sausage roll so to be able to celebrate the success of our winners is wonderful.”

Our competition runs every year to help find the best bakers in Scotland and the 2020 competition, which got off to a great start in February before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, saw the first ever “Customer Choice” awards.

Shoppers simply voted for their favourite baker and from these we identified a “Customer Choice” winner in each of the four business categories; Bakery Café, Craft Baker, Retail Craft Baker and Wholesale Baker.

If you missed our announcements on social media then we can reveal that the four category winners were:

Perth MP Pete Wishart visits Murrays to congratulate them

- Bakery Café Customer Choice Winner 2020/21: Mimi’s Bakehouse, Edinburgh - Craft Baker Customer Choice Winner 2020/21: Murrays Bakers, Perth - Retail Craft Baker Customer Choice Winner 2020/21: Aulds Bakeries, Greenock - Wholesale Baker Customer Choice Winner: Stag Bakeries, Stornoway Mich added, “I was delighted to announce the winners and bring some sense of celebration back to the great Scottish Bakers family.”

Aulds Bakeries

Mimi’s Bakehouse

Murrays Bakers

Stag Bakeries

Alasdair Smith, Chief Executive added, “We were delighted to have been able to give the public a say in 2020 with our new Customer Choice awards. It was a great opportunity for Scottish bakers to reach out to their customers and communities and get people buzzing about great, traditional Scottish baking.”

You can watch the moments each of them were surprised on our website news pages or our social media.

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

MEMBER NEWS

MURRAYS BAKERS WARMLY WELCOMED BACK, SELLING 2000 PIES ON DAY ONE OF RE-STARTING RETAIL OPERATIONS! As lockdown measures were eased Scottish Bakers member Murrays Bakers re-started retail operations with a warm welcome on Perth’s high street.

Business owner Linda Hill said, “On the day we opened, there were 10 people queuing outside in anticipation and this continued until 2.15pm when we briefly ran out of pies!

We sold over 2000 pies that day – it really could not have been better.

“On day two I posted on social media that we were starting afternoon teas and it went crazy. The phone rang off the hook and there were over 100 messages on Facebook messenger. It took me all day and well into the evening to get through them all. There was a massive demand.

“The Friday and Saturday saw a queue down the street for about 40 metres continuously.

We were overwhelmed with the response to us reopening and I felt so emotional with how much we were welcomed back. People were very good at sticking to the two in and two out and the queue was pretty well behaved.

Our opening really could not have gone better. It turned out I had not brought enough staff back off furlough, so we brought another bakery worker in on the Friday and two shop staff as well. After releasing the afternoon teas I even had to phone my daughter to plead with her to come in and help as it was bedlam!

“The bakers were run off their feet and my husband was doing 12 hour shifts. Definitely a family affair. The first day back I was going from serving, filling the counter, and taking telephone orders to being in the bakery lidding pies, packing up and carrying products to the shop. It has been a long time since I have had to work so hard for so long but I was running on adrenaline, it felt so good.

I was just so happy to be open again and people said it felt like there was some sort of normality now Murrays had reopened.

“Most customers are happy to pay by card but we are still taking cash if necessary and then using hand sanitiser in between customers if cash is used. We found that masks, visors and a hat is hard to do so its masks and hats on and it certainly gets warm behind the masks.

I bought washable ones to use but we also have disposable as well so the staff can choose.

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Customers queue as Murrays Bakers reopens

THE BAKERS WERE RUN OFF THEIR FEET AND MY HUSBAND WAS DOING 12 HOUR SHIFTS. DEFINITELY A FAMILY AFFAIR.” Linda Hill Murrays Bakers “It’s amazing how quickly people have adapted to queuing outside and only one from a family inside for the order. People are more prepared now to wait in a queue, it’s become the norm.

We are getting ourselves into a good routine now in the bakery and shop.

“I am so grateful that my customers have come out in their droves for our products and have missed our famous pies! We will continue to market the afternoon teas as long as needed and anything else we need to do to keep our business busy and our staff in employment. I am exhausted but happy!”

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

MEMBER NEWS

PARS FOODS BRAND PIE SPORTS IS NOW SERVING MATCHDAY PIES - AT HOME Scottish Bakers member Pars Foods has found an innovative way of fulfilling footie fans ‘fantasies’ with a half time pie at home.

By setting up Pie Sports, now supporters craving their traditional half-time treats can still indulge despite the lockdown. With fans unable to attend SPFL grounds during the pandemic, the firm has been bombarded with orders. Hungry punters are sent boxes of Scotch, steak and macaroni pies to tuck into while they watch the action on Sky Sports — all washed down with Bovril.

Pars Foods in Glasgow has been stunned by demand so far. Managing director Brian Sarafilovic, said they spotted a pie-shaped gap in the market when fans were locked out of games by COVID-19 safety rules.

He said: “We’re really pleased with how it’s gone so far.

“We manufacture the majority of pies for Scottish football clubs and with games behind closed doors we were left with quite a dilemma with lack of sales and trying to protect jobs.

“We came up with this as a solution. Fans have got the football on TV so we thought maybe the only thing missing is their atmosphere and pie and Bovril.

“The level of interest has surprised us. It’s been very busy.” The first orders — packaged in Sky Sports-style branding — were taken before the Scottish Premiership kick-off.

Drivers delivered to dozens of homes across Glasgow, Motherwell, Paisley and surrounding areas.

THE GREAT SCOTTISH BAKERS FAMILY Scottish Bakers is one family and during the past few months we have all come together to keep on baking and supporting our communities with fresh produce day in and day out.

FOOTBALL STADIUM RENAMED IN HONOUR OF BAKER HAMISH ALLAN Rutherglen Glencairn F.C. has renamed its stadium in honour of their lifelong supporter and former committee member Hamish Allan, who passed away last year aged 89. Hamish was also a great supporter of the work of Scottish Bakers.

The club’s home ground will now be known as the Hamish B. Allan Stadium and new signage will be installed for the new season which starts in October.

Recently via social media we wanted to celebrate our great Scottish Bakers family and asked our members and followers to post a picture and tag us or send us the picture to share on our social media pages. We received some great pictures which we have loved sharing but we are still looking for more!

Please do share your pictures with us via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. It might just be you, your team, your customers, your kids or anyone else who forms part of your bakery family and tell us who they are and why they are important in your world. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Hamish was treasurer of the old Glencairn Social Club and, at the time of taking on the role, the club was unfortunately in debt, however Hamish turned things around and a year later it was in profit. Hamish’s affinity with his local club was such that, just before he passed away in hospital, the club ensured he got his hands on the West Region Championship trophy when they won the title in the 2018/19 season.

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

TRAINING

TRAINING TAKING-OFF AGAIN IS VITAL TO THE UK FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR SAYS NATIONAL FOOD & DRINK TRAINING National Food & Drink Training (NFDT) , the specialist training arm of Scottish Bakers, has recommenced engagement with employers on the delivery of apprenticeships within the food and drinks industry across the UK following a period of closure as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown measures.

The specialist training provider delivers apprenticeships in traditional Craft Bakery, Food Production, and Supervisory Skills in England and Northern Ireland and a wider portfolio of Modern Apprenticeship programmes in Scotland where it works beyond the bakery sector into food & drink manufacturing, whisky, soft drinks, seafood and sea fish and dairy industries. Indeed, in Scotland the organisation has the enviable track record of recruiting well over 400 apprentices each year onto a range of bespoke apprenticeship programmes with above average completion rates.

“The COVID crisis brought all vocational training to a halt as we were unable to continue with our onsite company visits that make our programmes so unique,” said Chief Executive Alasdair Smith, “but with lockdown rules easing across the whole of the UK we’ve been able to carefully restart delivery and have been pleased with the positive response received so far. In fact, we’ve even had raft of enquiries already from businesses looking to upskill their workforce which is a great sign.”

With workplace apprenticeships recognised by the Scottish and UK Governments as an important way in which businesses can help to recover from the impact of the lockdown, NFDT is perfectly placed to support employers and their staff to build skills and resilience, and improve efficiency and productivity at this crucial time.

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Training and Quality Manager, Scott Anderson said, “Our experience of delivering apprenticeships over many years has proven time and again that investment in training delivers a range of positive outcomes for employers and employees alike: better staff morale, improved quality, less waste and higher productivity to name just a few. And with funding available across the UK to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes it makes more sense than ever to look at recruiting an apprentice. In fact, training will definitely aid business recovery at this time!”

“The funding rules and programmes are different across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland though,” advises Scott, “so it’s essential to ask for advice, and we can help with most questions.”

Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “Scottish Bakers deliver essential training opportunities across bakery, food and drink manufacturing, whisky, seafood and dairy sectors. I am pleased that as part of the phased approach to easing lockdown restrictions, this important engagement with employers has recommenced.

“Apprenticeships give individuals from every walk of life the opportunity to build the experience and skills that employers want to see. They also play a significant role in helping young people start a new career and in developing Scotland’s workforce.

I encourage all food and drink businesses to consider the benefits of apprenticeships and training as we recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.”

THE COVID CRISIS BROUGHT ALL VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO A HALT AS WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTINUE WITH OUR ONSITE COMPANY VISITS THAT MAKE OUR PROGRAMMES SO UNIQUE” Alasdair Smith Chief Executive, Scottish Bakers

In Scotland, Modern Apprenticeships are funded through Skills Development Scotland.

Gerry McBride, Sector Manager for the Food and Drink industry, said of the developments, “SDS is really pleased to see NFDT emerge from this unprecedented lockdown and begin to both deliver and recruit apprentices again.

Apprenticeships are proven to be effective in supporting business resilience and growth so it’s arguably more important now than ever to focus on workforce development.”

In England, NFDT is the preferred apprenticeship delivery partner of the Craft Bakers Association. Director of Operations, Karen Dear said, “We’re delighted to see NFDT restarting their training services, as we’ve worked with them for many years and seen the benefits of their work first-hand. For our smaller members, it’s also great to be able to advise that NFDT can now access funding to help them with their training which I know will be welcomed.”

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

TRAINING

NATIONAL FOOD & DRINK TRAINING CAN CONFIRM THAT THEY’RE KITTED OUT FOR THE “NEW NORMAL” WITH PPE VISIT TO BARNETTS BAKERY

All of our training advisors have face masks, visors, anti bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser with them at all times and a temperature probe so that each site has visibility of their current temperature. They will be fully equipped for all site-specific social distancing and compliance measures.

Senior Training Advisor, James McCormack, had the pleasure of visiting Barnett’s Bakery.

Jim met with owner Stewart who gave him a tour of their impressive new bakery, seeing some of the fantastic freshly baked goods and discussing the enrolment of two candidates onto an apprenticeship programme.

Training & Quality Manager Scott Anderson said, “This degree of PPE is to reassure all employers and candidates currently on or considering undertaking a Modern Apprenticeship programme with us. We value the safety of everyone concerned and we will ensure as far as is possible that we are COVID -19 free before entering your place of work.”

MODERN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME AT HOVIS Our Training & Quality Manager, Scott Anderson, and Senior Advisor, James McCormack, recently visited the Hovis Ltd Glasgow manufacturing site to speak with General Manager, Willie Reid, and HR Manager, James Keegans.

Just prior to lockdown Hovis Glasgow and the Hovis Organisational Development & Support Team had agreed a bespoke Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme with National Food & Drink Training/Scottish Bakers to facilitate an MA suited to upskilling their internal Front Line Managers.

The meeting was to confirm a start date and launch for the programme with 6 members of the Hovis Glasgow team!

MORE INFORMATION If you would like to know more about our training services please contact Scott Anderson – scott@nfdt.org or 07702 520524

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SCOTTISH BAKERS Bakers House 2 Halbeath Interchange Business Park Kingseat Road Dunfermline, KY11 8RY T: 01383 661 555 E: info@scottishbakers.org www.scottishbakers.org