At Litmus, we know that a successful catering procurement project is about much more than simply appointing a provider. The real value comes from creating a long-term partnership that delivers financial stability, strong accountability and, most importantly, a dining experience that pupils genuinely enjoy.
That’s exactly what has been achieved through our work with Holy Cross Catholic High School.
A vibrant secondary school in Chorley, Holy Cross is committed to providing a positive environment for pupils in Years 7-11, including a high-quality catering offer that supports student wellbeing and encourages healthy eating habits.
Building trust through partnership
When Holy Cross first approached Litmus in 2015, the Business Manager had previously experienced challenges working with another consultancy and wanted reassurance that any future partnership would be collaborative, transparent and genuinely supportive.
The school needed expert guidance to manage a compliant catering tender process, while still remaining closely involved in decision-making throughout.
Senior Consultant at Litmus – Diana Lishman – worked alongside the school from the outset, taking the time to understand its priorities, concerns and long-term ambitions for the catering service. Rather than delivering a one-size-fits-all solution, the project was approached as a genuine partnership, with regular communication, clear reporting and practical support at every stage.
That collaborative relationship has continued ever since, with Litmus going on to manage two further catering tenders for the school, alongside ongoing contract monitoring and advisory support.
Delivering financial return
One of the most significant successes of the partnership has been the transformation of the school’s catering finances.
Before Litmus became involved, the school was subsidising the catering operation, while pupil uptake remained low and food quality failed to meet expectations. The service was not delivering value financially or operationally.
Today, the catering service provides a year-on-year financial return to the school, helping to create a far more sustainable model. Through Litmus’ ongoing monitoring and support during budget reviews and negotiations, Holy Cross typically achieves savings of around £7,000 per year.
The contract also includes a profit-share arrangement, meaning both the school and catering team benefit when performance exceeds expectations – creating a stronger culture of accountability and shared success.
Creating a better dining experience
The impact of the project extends well beyond financial savings.
Significant investment has been made into the school’s dining facilities, resulting in a modernised dining environment and additional service points for pupils. Combined with improvements to the catering offer itself, the changes have helped create a much more positive experience for both students and staff.
Importantly, the partnership has ensured the school continues to receive independent, expert guidance throughout the life of the contract – helping the team ask the right questions, maintain supplier accountability and make informed decisions year after year.
A long-standing partnership
For Holy Cross, the success of the project has been built on consistency, trust and ongoing support.
The school’s Business Manager said: “From the onset Diana was the consummate professional. Throughout the tendering stage we were kept fully informed, offered unbiased advice, and guided through each aspect which made a very complicated and time-consuming process quite straightforward.
“Since then, we have retained Diana’s services and again her expertise has been invaluable. Litmus produces monthly reports which we go through with our catering contractors. Diana has a very pleasant manner, with an equal measure of a firm but fair approach, and offers experienced insight when we analyse the figures. In short, she knows what questions to ask. I know that with Diana and Litmus we are in safe hands.”
To learn more about our work with Holy Cross Catholic High School, click here.
The Litmus team
