BUTCHERS NEWS Eighteen year old Katie Lawson of Bromley Butchers in Wolverhampton
Women have always worked in the meat trade usually as counter assistants, cashiers, or book keepers. With equal oppor- tunities the tendency in most trades and professions is that women have taken and are playing a larger role. We only need to look at the industry awards ceremonies this time around to realise that the meat trade is no exception to this, and like many other professions and trades there are opportunities to be had. For the first time in their
histories, both the Worshipful Company of Butchers and the Butchers and Drovers Charitable Institute have high flying and high profile women at the helm in the guise of the Princess Royal and
Girls who do the Business!
Beatrice Blake. And although, both are legitimately identified as being very much the exception never the less most will agree that times are changing. The recent international
young butcher competition held in June this year saw twenty year old Joena Schweizer from Switzerland compete for the title of International Young Butcher against 11 similar aged men. And like the other contestants she had fought and competed against the best that Europe had to offer. Joena didn’t take home any silver ware on this occasion but did herself credit in achieving the runner up position in one of the disciplines, and finishing eighth overall.
have to look far to discover that girl power is happening every- where - and much closer to home. One of the seven regional winners and a finalist in the BPEX Roads this year included eighteen year old Katie Lawson of Bromley Butchers in Wolverhampton. Katie an apprentice in her father’s business left school two years ago with 11 GCSE’s to join the family firm. Obviously no slouch, Katie using a recipe for a pork pie which had been originally developed by her mother Jane, entered and won the regional BPEX event at the Three Counties showground in Malvern during February. No stranger to competitions, Katie has won gold for sausages and other meat products all around the country, including the National Meat products competition at Newbury Racecourse in April and has developed a passion as well as a forte’ for developing recipes. As with all the products sold
at Bromley’s everything is pre- pared and made from scratch on the premises. As a family business all three family members are in- volved in developing and produc- ing products to the highest possible standards, and Katie who is currently doing an NVQ level 2 qualification with Meat Ipswich is pushing the boundaries all the time.
But Food Trader does not
When interviewed, Katie who has a somewhat infectious manner
said that she had always been involved “in her Dad’s business” and had always been around help- ing out with the baking for as long as she can remember – long be- fore leaving school. Anyone who meets her will confirm that the lively teenager would be an asset to any business because she ‘so enjoys’ what she does. And her enthusiasm for learning the trade serves as an example to anyone who meets her. With serving cus- tomers, and making the sausages and pies Katie says she has little problem, but does admit to en- countering an occasional difficulty when handling carcases. But once on the block - she’s away! And her progress in the last twelve months with this side of the busi- ness has been remarkable. Jane Dale of Meat Ipswich says Katie, who has been on their books for little over a year that “her butchery knowledge and skills are improving all the time”. Katie has achieved four distinc- tions, three credits, and a pass in the Technical Certificate and is on course to do very well in her as- sessments. Jane continues “the girls which constitute around 12% of the apprentices we have, tend to do very well and are in general more methodical and conscien- tious than the boys”. And that Katie, who is Meat Ipswich’s learner of the month for Septem- ber is “a pleasure to have and has a great future in the trade”.
page 11 FTFB September 2011
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