Tony kindly agreed to give a talk on TACCP at our next Food Safety meeting on 11 September and has agreed for it to be recorded so that members who aren't able to attend the meeting are able to access the talk after. Tony also encourages his team at Leatherhead Food Research to become IFST members and was a speaker at our Jubilee Conference. For more information about our Food Safety meetings, please contact Erin Taylor.
How does it feel to be recognised as Volunteer of the week?
Humbled, very honoured and delighted!
Why is it important to be a member of a body like IFST?
It gives an enormous personal credibility which reflects your status within the industry as a professional. It also supports the technical framework of the industry as a body.
Why did it take you so long to become a Fellow?
I didn’t see myself in the same professional group as other highly qualified food professionals and I didn’t realise just how much I could contribute. I also didn’t appreciate how highly respected I was within the food industry.
What advice would you give someone just starting out in the profession?
Professional membership is very important for new opportunities, especially being with your peers. Take every opportunity to give presentations on exciting initiatives and write as much as possible. Ultimately, you need to be seen and heard, don’t be someone else, be yourself!
You’ve been involved in a project involving the FSA to create a system for reporting and monitoring food fraud. What challenges has there been?
The challenges so far have been identifying the tremendous opportunities a whole food chain initiative. Now, in conjunction with the FSA the challenge is moving it from a theoretical model to implementation.
Tell us something that not many people know
My MBE was for services to a community in Surrey for organising one of the largest Guy Fawkes annual celebrations in the country and raising thousands of pounds for local worthy causes, societies and charities. It also involved leading a team of 200 volunteers.
My other two loves are salmon fishing and skiing (that’s why my arm was in a sling at IFSTs House of Lords Reception at the beginning of July).
