Three dairy champions have been recognised for their exemplary contribution to the UK industry.
Heather Wheeler MP and Neil Parish MP have both been awarded the annual Dairy UK Award for their support of UK dairy farmers and the wider industry.
Heather Wheeler chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Dairy.
Neil Parish chairs the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee and is former chair of the Dairy APPG.
Catherine Collins, winner of the Scientific Excellence Award, is a highly respected registered dietician, Fellow of The British Dietetic Association (BDA) and chair of the BDA England board.
Catherine also sits on The Dairy Council’s expert scientific panel on healthy ageing.
Working tirelessly to promote dairy
Dr Judith Bryans, Chief Executive of Dairy UK, said: "All of the evening’s winners are dairy champions, who work tirelessly to promote dairy from farm to fridge.
"It is crucial for everyone involved in the dairy industry to see key decision-makers and parliamentarians, such as Heather and Neil, proactively supporting an industry that has tremendous support from the British public.
"Their commitment to the industry is unwavering and is deeply appreciated.
"Catherine Collins is a very deserving winner of our award on Scientific Excellence.
"She is a strong communicator and thought-leader in nutrition science and is particularly skilled in translating nutrition science into bite-sized chunks for the general public via written, broadcast and social media."
Important role in feeding British people
On receiving her award, Heather Wheeler said: "It is a great honour and complete surprise.
"The dairy industry has long played an important role in feeding the people of the UK, however there are so many misconceptions that still exist.
"We need to make every effort to encourage dairy consumption and I believe that we in Parliament can, and must, support our great British dairy industry as much as possible."
Neil Parish MP, said: "As a former dairy farmer myself I am a proud supporter of our British dairy industry and a strong believer that we must work together to reach our goals.
"I am optimistic about the industry’s future and proud to be a part of it."
Catherine Collins added: "I’m very honoured to receive this award.
"As part of a balanced diet, dairy foods play an essential role to help us meet out daily calcium requirement – it’s both nutritional and delicious."
The awards were presented during the Dairy UK Annual Dinner held at the Royal Garden Hotel in London.
