Lexington: Allergy Awareness Publication
At Lexington Catering, allergy awareness goes beyond meeting standards, it’s about ensuring every person we serve feels safe, supported and included when dining with us.
Our teams continue to drive initiatives, partnerships and processes that strengthen allergen management across our business. From supporting children with medical diets to raising important funds for allergy research, we remain committed to promoting awareness, education and meaningful change.
Supporting Allergy Awareness Through Partnership
We are proud to work alongside The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF), supporting its mission to create a safer and more inclusive future for people living with allergies. Through awareness campaigns, fundraising initiatives and educational support, the partnership continues to help drive meaningful impact across our sites and communities.
Since January 2025, over £34,400 has been raised in support of NARF through initiatives including fundraising events, till round-ups, disposable surcharges, challenge events and colleague-led campaigns. These fundraising efforts have helped support 344 children through NARF’s groundbreaking oral immunotherapy clinical trial.
Allergy Awareness Highlights
Over the past year, our teams have continued to strengthen allergy awareness and allergen management across our operations. Highlights include:
- 1,532 tailored menu combinations developed to support children with allergies and medical diets
- 5,975 children supported with active medical diets
- 32 schools signed up to Allergy School initiatives
- 9 allergy awareness talks delivered to internal and external audiences
- 20 Charity Champions actively supporting fundraising and awareness initiatives across the business
- Allergy Champions introduced across secondary schools to support students and families living with allergies
These initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to education, safety and inclusivity across every level of our catering operations.
Supporting Safer School Dining
Food allergies can have a significant impact on children and families, particularly within school environments. Our teams work closely with schools, parents and carers to ensure children with allergies can dine safely and confidently.
Through robust allergen management systems, every ingredient and recipe is carefully monitored and managed to ensure accurate allergen information is always available. Catering teams follow strict preparation and serving procedures, helping ensure meals are safely prepared and correctly served to the right child.
We have also introduced dedicated Allergy Champions within secondary schools to provide support, guidance and reassurance for students, parents and carers navigating allergies in school settings.
Education, Training & Awareness
Education continues to play a vital role in improving allergy awareness across our business. Over the past two years, Allergy & Wellness Forums have been delivered to colleagues to provide practical allergen management training, increase awareness and share important stories from individuals and families living with allergies.
We also continue to support Allergy School, a free educational initiative developed by NARF that provides schools with practical resources, training materials and awareness tools to help create safer environments for children living with allergies.
Inclusive & Allergen-Free Food Innovation
Creating inclusive menus remains an important part of our approach. Alongside tailored medical diet menus, our teams continue to develop nutritious and enjoyable allergen-friendly recipes that ensure everyone can enjoy great food safely.
Featured allergen-free recipes include innovative dishes such as:
- Pulled Jackfruit (Marinated & Roasted) – A flavour-packed plant-based alternative, featuring tender jackfruit marinated in a blend of herbs and spices before being slow-roasted to create a deliciously rich and satisfying texture. Perfect for wraps, burgers or served alongside fresh seasonal salads.
- Vegan Lime & Coconut Cheesecake Pots – A refreshing and indulgent dessert combining creamy coconut with zesty lime for a light yet satisfying finish. Completely free from the top 14 allergens, these individual pots demonstrate that allergen-friendly desserts can be every bit as delicious as traditional favourites.
These recipes form part of our wider commitment to delivering balanced, inclusive and flavour-led dining experiences.
Why Allergy Awareness Matters
Food allergies continue to rise across the UK, with hospital admissions for food-related anaphylaxis in children more than doubling over the past two decades. Raising awareness, improving understanding and creating safer dining environments has never been more important.
Real-life stories shared by colleagues and families throughout Allergy Awareness Week highlighted the everyday realities of living with allergies, from navigating restaurant dining to ensuring children feel safe and included within schools. These stories reinforce the importance of education, empathy and strong allergen management processes across the hospitality industry.
Looking Ahead
At Lexington Catering, we remain committed to creating environments where everyone can dine safely, confidently and inclusively. Through continued education, collaboration, innovation and fundraising, we will continue working towards a safer future for individuals living with allergies.
Together, we can help make a meaningful difference.