Pembrokeshire's 1,300 caterers are to be invited to a series of seminars and courses in the New Year designed to raise awareness of new regulations relating to food hygiene.
The £10,000 initiative is the idea of Pembrokeshire County Council, one of only five local authorities in Wales to successfully bid for funding from the Food Standards Agency.
New legislation relating to the handling of food by catering establishments is due to be introduced and will require those in the industry to manage and document more stringent hygiene procedures.
The change in the law will affect all those who work in restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, hotels, take-aways, in fact anywhere food is sold.
To highlight the changes, the county council is running 10 seminars free of charge at various locations in the county during January and February.
Upon attendance of the two-hour seminars, delegates can then forward their names onto one of three one-day certificated courses in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) to be held in March.
The seminars, for up to 35 people, will comprise a short presentation on the subject, an informative video followed by a question and answer session.
Members of the council's food safety team will be present and it is anticipated that the manner of the seminars will be informal and open.
Seven of the seminars will be held in village halls mid-morning and include a buffet lunch. The afternoon will be given over to a free one-hour session for the general public to highlight the importance of food safety in the home.
It is thought this will be of particular interest to parents of young children and for older people, two groups who tend to be more vulnerable to food poisoning.
Three other seminars will be held earlier in the morning, following breakfast.
Dates and locations for the one-day certificated courses will be announced later. Each course will have 15 places available, issued on a first come, first served basis.
Seminars will be held at the following locations and dates from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm (followed by buffet lunch), and from 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm for the general public.
Bloomfield Centre, Narberth, January 7; Hubberston Hall, January 16; Newport Memorial Hall, January 23; County Hall, Haverfordwest, January 28 (no one hour session for the public); St. Davids City Hall, February 4; St. John's Community Hall, Pembroke Dock, February 11; New Hedges Village Hall, February 18.
Breakfast seminars will be held between 7.30 am and 9.30 am following breakfast at the following locations and dates:
Castell Malwyn, Llechryd, February 6; The Glen Hotel, Haverfordwest, February 13; Cwmwennol Country House Hotel, Saundersfoot, February 20.
Caterers wishing to book places on the seminars should contact environmental health officer Helen Muskett on (01437) 775457 or Sharon James on (01437) 775631.