Gold First for Army Range

The Castlemartin Range Army Training Estate has proved to be top guns when it comes to catering.

It has just become the first recipient in Pembrokeshire to win a Gold Award under the Welsh Food Hygiene Scheme.

The initiative aims to give recognition to food premises which have attained and maintained high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene practices.

In Pembrokeshire the scheme is supported by the County Council in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency Wales.

In the past 12 months or so the Council has presented around a dozen awards which have three levels - Gold, Silver and Bronze. Previously, none have been Gold.

The areas of the Castlemartin facility which have won the Gold award are the Soldiers Dining Hall, the Officers and Sergeants Mess, and the Galley.

The award was presented at Castlemartin by the Vice Chairman of the County Council, Councillor Glyn Rees, to Robert Chambers, manager of the facility's catering contractor, ESS.

Said the Chairman: "To receive a Gold Award, food premises must have achieved the highest standards in all the required area and everyone connected with this achievement should feel very proud indeed."