Do I need a food hygiene certificate?

Horace

This question is more for those that work in the third sector either in Friends groups or charities. I have been asked to serve teas/coffees and biscuits at a craft fair as a way of raising funds for the Friends group of which I am chair, however, it has been suggested that I need a food hygiene certificate.

I won't be preparing food, just serving tea/coffee/biscuits - to be honest I am not sure I need a certificate for that. Just want to clarify things really.

Thanks.

firefox1956

A food hygiene certificate / course would show that you are aware of the risks of preparing AND handling food.
It really just basic common sense to be honest.
I would say that you would be better with the certificate, I believe that you can do it online now.
For the definitive answer as regions differ area by area I would ring your local Environmental Health Officer & have a word with them.
They are always extremely helpful.......I have spent 32 years in the food business & always got on well with them.
HTH

phill99

This is another example of health and safety gone mad.

To serve teas and coffees doesn't need food hygiene.

Horace

Well I have just wasted 15 mins of my life being transferred from pillar to post within Birmingham City Council and got nowhere.

Health & Safety has gone mad if I am expected to get such a certificate for pouring a cup of tea. I could understand it if I was cooking up bacon, eggs etc or making sandwiches but I am not.

tyllwyd

I don't have any experience myself, but on this website the first q&a implies that you do need a level 1 certificate
http://www.wrelearning.co.uk/Level1-Food-Safety-Retail#.VClTKaZ0x9A

Voyager2002

Here is the answer to your question from an official source:
http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/food-hygiene/charity-community-groups

" Food hygiene certificates are not a legal requirement. If you are selling or handling food at a charity event, you need to do so safely but a qualification is not essential."

Horace

Thanks all for your help. I know what to do now.

Savvy_Sue

Horace wrote: »

Thanks all for your help. I know what to do now.

I'd say one starting point would be the organisation running the hall.

I sometimes help serve coffee after church, and a while back we were all asked to attend a short session after the service where someone ran through the rules of our kitchen with us. There's always a 'team leader', and what they say goes. Nothing goes in the fridge without a written date and purpose on it (eg the milk for last Sunday would say "Sunday coffee, 28/09/14" and the butter for the student lunch would say "student lunch, 28/09/14" and if someone dropped a pudding off on Wednesday for the Friday lunch club it would say "Friday lunch club, 01/10/14"). If you find anything not adequately labelled or actually out of date, you're supposed to throw it away. We all know where the hand-washing sink is, and we wouldn't dream of using the washing up sink for hands or vice versa.

That's the theory ...

There's definitely no requirement for all of us to do a Food Hygiene certificate in order to serve coffee, but anyone who was regularly preparing food would be recommended to do one, OR we'd make sure that someone on the team had been trained and was recognised as 'in charge'.

If the hall organisers for this event have no such requirements, then just wash your hands and get on with it ...