The programme and features at the Main Event will address the disparities in school meals funding across the nations and explore strategies to ensure that all children and young people receive the very best school food to support their growth and learning.
It has never been more important to establish common ground and a collective voice on the importance of school food and the growing pressures operators are facing to provide this vital service.
The ever-popular LACA Live returns with cookery demonstrations taking place in Hall 1 on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th July.
View LACA Live Programme
Our informative Workshop Sessions will run on Tuesday morning with practical, interactive sessions.
View the Workshop Programme
Main Event Delegate Programme
The programme below outlines the closed sessions which are only accessible for delegates.
Tuesday 8 July 2025
9.30 |
School Food Show exhibition opens - Hall 1 and 2 |
10.30 |
Workshop Sessions, Arden Suite |
10.30 |
Workshop 1: The Allergen Challenge |
11.00 |
Workshop 2: UPFs - Stephen Forster |
11.30 |
Workshop 3: LACA Ask the Experts - Michael Hales, LACA National Vice Chair; Anita Brown, LACA Immediate Past Chair; Bryan Lygate, LACA Board member |
12.00-14.30 |
Lunch & exhibition viewing Halls 1 & 2 |
12.15 |
LACA Live, Hall 1: Partner demo - Quorn |
13.15 |
LACA Live, Hall 1: Partner demo - Brakes LACA Live, Hall 1: Savvy with store cupboard ingredients - Zoe Gill and Cathy Amos |
14.00 |
LACA Main Event sessions begin - Kings Suite Introduction to Main Event 2025 including the Year in Focus |
14.15 |
Chair's welcome |
14.40 |
Four Nations – State of the Nation |
15.40 |
Managing Scope 1 & 2 emissions and saving schools £millions - Dr Sam Mudie Improved monitoring, working practice and equipment can save schools millions of £’s every year but it will also reduce energy consumption and carbon production to make the service more sustainable. Dr Sam Mudie will explain how and what school caterers need to do to achieve these results. |
16.10 |
Keynote session - Why calories don't count, Professor Giles Yeo Giles is a Professor at the University of Cambridge and has appeared on many TV programmes related to food and the importance of diet. His book ‘Why Calories Don’t Count’ explains what really matters is how your body digests and absorbs your food not how many calories it contains. He will explore this further in the context of school food, but also look at genetics and UPF’s and their impact on obesity and a healthy diet. |
17.00 |
Forum day one closes |
19.30 |
LACA informal icebreaker evening, Kings Suite |
Wednesday 9 July 2025
8.30 |
LACA Forum delegate registration opens - hotel and hall 2 foyers |
9.30 |
Forum day two opens |
9.45 |
National Governors Association – monitoring school meals A representative from the NGA will give their views and policies around:
|
10.15 |
How the UK school food service fairs in a good food revolution and in a global school food context - Professor Don Bundy and Professor Kevin Morgan |
11.00 |
ParentPay Research 2025 & the LACA Survey Updates The annual survey of parental views on the school food service is now a vital benchmarking process for LACA. Parentpay will share the results and Judith Gregory will give an update on the LACA Cost of Living research. |
11.25 |
Mental health – spotting the signs and supporting your colleagues - Charlie Hodson, Hospitality Action Depression and work pressures drove Charlie to attempting suicide. Now an HA Ambassador Charlie will talk about his journey and also how to spot the signs in your colleagues who are suffering and need support. |
12.00 |
Lunch and exhibition viewing including LACA Live in Hall 1 |
12.00 |
LACA Live - Hall 1: LACA Grab 'N' Go Challenge sponsored by SchoolGrid - Now in its third year, the winner of the 2025 Grab & Go competition will be announced on Tuesday 8th July and will demonstrate their winning dish on the LACA Live theatre on Wednesday. |
12.45 |
LACA Live - Hall 1: TBC |
13.45 |
LACA Live - Hall 1: Eva Humphries – Whole Food Warrior |
14.30 |
Main Event resumes resume - Kings Suite |
14.30 |
The value and challenges of local sourcing The government want the public sector to buy 50% of all its food from UK/local sources. The funding challenge makes this an increasingly difficult ask of operators when the focus has to be to get nutritious food on the plate. A panel will discuss the benefits of sourcing in the UK, the challenges and the options: |
15.20 |
Resilience and coping with Change - Victoria Humphries |
15.50 |
Keynote - Future food trends, Morgaine Gaye As a Food Futurologist, Morgaine is passionate about what she does because food affects us all - what we eat and what we buy. Food is a complex topic which uses all indicators as a lens through which to see what’s to come. It involves society, behaviour, geo-politics, culture, belief, history, trends, fads, art, marketing, sensorial perceptions, biology and, in fact, almost everything! |
16.35 |
Finishing Touches 2025 |
16.45 |
Forum day two closes; exhibition ends |
19.00 |
Drinks Reception, Pavillion Suite |
19.30 |
LACA Awards for Excellence Dinner, Kings Suite |