TWENTY-SEVEN Bury Council catering supervisors have tasted success by earning themselves a recognised national qualification.

At the same time as boosting their own academic standing, the local authority staff have also increased their expertise.

This will now mean a service that's better than ever both in local schools and at the various civic suites across the borough. The council's department of competitive service's leisure and catering service, together with the authority's development and training centre at Seedfield, have developed a tailor-made course for the catering supervisors.

This has led to a recognised qualification from the National Examination Board for Supervision and Management. The supervisors, who were drawn not just from primary and high schools but also from the council's civic suites, had to complete an intensive ten-week course.

Subjects covered ranged from health and safety to customer care, team building and problem solving.

It culminated in a short presentation on a chosen subect.

Now, to mark the supervisors' success on completing the course, they have been presented with their certificates at a special celebratory evening, which was held at Bury Town Hall's Elizabethan Suite.

Bury Council Lifelong Learning chairman, Councillor Trevor Holt, who presented the certificates, said: "Learning new skills at whatever time of life is always a bonus.

"Obviously, when that is tied in to work-related operations there are significant benefits all round and I am glad that in this case that involves our local schools and popular civic suites."

He added: "Our staff already provide a professional, not to mention tasty service and that can only improve thanks to useful courses such as this one."