Catering lecturer receives top City & Guilds accolade

South Downs College​ catering lecturer Iain Baillie has been awarded the top accolade from City & Guilds for his work overseeing the organisation`s cookery programmes at the college.

Only one President`s Award is given out by City & Guilds each year to acknowledge the hard work carried out by a lecturer or teacher of its courses.

Baillie, who has been heavily involved with industry charity Hospitality Action and the Ark Foundation as well as his work at the college, went to Buckingham Palace to pick up his award from the Duke of Edinburgh (pictured).

He said: ‘It is a great honour to have received the President’s Award, the accreditation of City and Guilds qualifications provided in the outstanding facilities of South Downs College with the support of a highly professional team has allowed me to highly motivate and enthuse students to achieve their goals."

South Downs catering student Oscar Holgado was also awarded a Medal of Excellence at the ceremony for his hard work.

Chris Jones, director-general of City & Guilds said: "We are here to celebrate outstanding individuals who have used the City & Guilds path to make their ambition a reality. These achievements are more important than ever during a recession when innovation and diversification of skills are needed the most."

This isn`t the first time South Downs College has been rewarded for its work. Earlier this year students picked up the College Restaurant of the Year​ award from Restaurant magazine.