Catering course
From budgeting to food hygiene - learn all about catering at a residential with our catering qualification
Learn how to cater at a Girlguiding residential event with our catering course.
Our catering course will equip you with everything you need to know about catering - from planning and buying supplies to hygiene and safety.
You don't need this qualification if you'll simply be helping to prepare and cook food at a Girlguiding event or residential. However, if you're the event coordinator responsible for organising catering at a residential event, you'll need to hold or be working towards the online going away with scheme (or hold the old going away with licence and module 5).
Who can complete this course?
The catering course is open to all members aged 18 and over, and non-members aged 18 and over who've been recorded on GO as residential occasional helpers.
What will I learn?
This course is made up of 3 topics:
- The catering team - the leader in charge's role in catering, the role of the caterer.
- Planning your menu - budgeting, dietary requirements and preferences, shopping and menu writing.
- Food safety and hygiene - the 4 Cs of food safety.
This qualification is assessed practically, so you'll need to plan and carry out the catering for a residential event to complete it. Along the way, you'll be assessed by a mentor, and will need to keep a record of evidence to show what you've done.
Remember: you'll need to organise catering at an event as part of this qualification, so it's important to consider the cost of this.
What about the old workbook scheme?
The old workbook scheme can be downloaded for free. It will be available until 30 November 2026 - after this date the old going away with and catering schemes and accompanying workbooks will be retired from the Girlguiding shop and will no longer be recorded on GO.
How do I get started?
- Contact your local commissioner, who'll put you in touch with an appropriate adviser in your area.
- Go to the learning platform and enrol in the catering course.
- Your adviser will then help you to find a suitable mentor, who can support you through the qualification.
