Cardiff Council's Judith Gregory has been named in this year's top 20 list of the most influential public sector people in catering. 

Organised by Cost Sector Catering, the catering hall of fame celebrates the people currently considered to be the leading influencers, opinion-formers, movers and shakers in the sector. 

The 2017 top 20 was formally announced at a lunchtime event held in the House of Commons yesterday, Tuesday, December 12. It was hosted by Mark Hill, Executive Chef at the House of Commons, on behalf of Cost Sector Catering. 

Reacting to the news, Judith Gregory said: "I am incredibly surprised, but absolutely thrilled to be named as one of the UK's top 20 public sector most influential people in catering. 

"There are numerous people working in public sector catering with many years of experience, knowledge and expertise, so to be recognised is a huge honour.

 "Over the last three years, Cardiff's multi-award winning School Holiday Enrichment Programme has achieved national recognition as leading the way in holiday eating provision. This acknowledgement by the judges is testament to the hard work and commitment of the partnership team." 

The School Holiday Enrichment Programme - known popularly as Food and Fun - is co-ordinated by Food Cardiff and is a partnership between Cardiff Council and the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's HB Local Public Health team. 

The innovative project aims to provide an element of education, sporting activity - provided by Sport Cardiff - along with good-quality, healthy meals, delivered in a safe, nurturing, fun environment, to help reduce the isolation and hunger experienced by families in the school holidays. 

Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry, said: "It is tremendous to see Judith receive national recognition for her influential work on behalf of school catering in Cardiff. 

"From my many visits to the Food and Fun sessions over the years, I know how much Judith has done to help develop the School Holiday Enrichment Programme, from a small pilot scheme involving a few schools, to a service which is now supported by Welsh Government and recognised with numerous awards. 

"I want to add my congratulations on Judith's fantastic achievement, and I want to thank everyone involved in working so hard in our school catering service to deliver success time and time again."