AN EMPLOYER at an Ellesmere food company has received an award from royalty.

Peter Horton, an apprentice mentor at ABP, was presented with his Institute of Meat Master Butcher award by the Princess Royal at a ceremony in London.

"Gaining the Institute Of Meat accredited Master Butcher award was a fantastic achievement for me," he said.

"I have worked in the meat industry for over 40years but have never received any formal recognition for my dedication, hard work and effort that I have applied to each of the different roles that I have held throughout my career. "

Mr Horton said that ABP gave him the opportunity to work towards gaining the Master Butcher award, which covers butchery, business, food hygiene and safety, integrity and attitude.

The candidate is required to gain practical experience where possible, or be able to demonstrate high standards of understanding of each subject or process within each module.

They gather evidence to support their experience and understanding for each of the subjects/processes, to produce a portfolio.

Mr Horton said that the award ceremony at Painters Hall was a "fantastic occasion".

"The day was made even more special as this year the awards were presented by the Princess Royal, who took the time to speak to all of the award winners individually about their achievements," he added.

"I believe that gaining the Master bButcher award will greatly assist me in my current role as apprentice mentor. The knowledge and understanding along with experiences that I have gained in areas of the industry that I would not normally be directly associated with, will be invaluable whilst training and mentoring apprentices."