Shire Services in the West Midlands
Catering for your school
Shire Services is the education catering service of Shropshire Council, which for the last 16 years has also provided a dedicated catering service to over 50 primary, middle and secondary schools in the neighbouring counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin, and Conwy in North Wales.
Using expertise gained in Shropshire, Shire Services is able to offer a unique service to schools outside of the county. Combining an imaginative approach to student uptake, with good control of raw materials and staffing costs, Shire Services will provide an honest and sustainable approach to your catering service.
What makes us special
Our menus are developed by our staff and tailored for individual schools, guided by our food policy. This policy requires that:
- Food is not re-heated
- Main meals are prepared without the use of convenience foods
- A selection of fresh vegetables and salads is provided daily
- Restrictions are placed on food high in fat, salt and sugar
- Ingredients are produced from within the local area where possible, not just from a local delivery company
- We only provide milk, juice and water-based drinks for beverages
In addition, we work closely with the Soil Association’s 'Food for Life' standards, encouraging the use of organic produce. Three of the six ‘Food For Life’ schools in the West Midlands are based in Shropshire. Of the raw ingredients used in all of its schools, 90% of the meat and vegetables are sourced from within the schools' local area and the West Midlands, reducing food miles, improving freshness and supporting the local economy.
Where we operate
- We currently operate kitchens in primary, first, middle and secondary schools in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Telford & Wrekin and Conwy
- Where schools do not have a kitchen, we are often able to deliver meals from nearby locations
- We currently deliver to 31 first, primary and nursery schools
- Services are tailored to meet the individual needs of the school
- We are able to offer a service that provides the support and expertise that only a local authority can provide
Please see the attachments on this page for further services we provide, and a selection of sample parent menu leaflets.