Author: Jackie.McCabe

It is with great shock and sadness that we heard of the untimely death of a dear friend of the Institute and of the worldwide environmental health community, Ray Ellard.

Ray was a former Principal EHO in the Eastern Health Board , Ireland before he joined the Department of Health as Chief EHO and upon the establishment of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland he became its first Director of Regulation and Compliance, where he remained until his retirement in April 2021.

Ray was a highly esteemed and popular member of the Environmental Health profession nationally and internationally and was a Life Fellow of the Environmental Health Association Ireland, having been its former Honorary Secretary. He was Honorary Secretary of the International Federation for Environmental Health from 2006 until 2011. In the past he was a regular speaker at REHIS conferences.

A true subject matter expert Ray held three MSc Degrees and various post graduate qualifications. He carried his ability, expertise and experience lightly and shared it readily with all, usually in very entertaining presentations. Ray was a natural public speaker and raconteur and was adept at building relationships across all stakeholders, whether that was across rooms or across continents. He will be greatly missed by us all.

Our deepest condolences are extended to his wife Nora, daughter Ruth and extended family.

As part of the 150-year celebrations, the Institute has designed a colourful tartan that cleverly uses the Institute’s history as inspiration. Created by Tartan Caledonia, the design incorporates the colours of the official REHIS crest and boasts thread counts that mark the year of our inception, 1875: 18 for green, 7 for black and 5 for yellow. The main central design (in blue and red) adds up to 150 threads.

The vibrant design was registered on the Scottish Tartan Register, on 20 January 2025 as a permanent reminder of the vital work of REHIS, a very special tartan reflecting our long history. Here is the tartan being woven at The House of Edgar part of the McNaughton group. Click on the image below

This year, we are not only celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Institute but also significant milestones for our office team: Margaret, our Training Administrator, marks an incredible 40 years with REHIS; Cará celebrates 30 dedicated years as Accounts Administrator; and Jane reached a fantastic 10-year milestone as Professional Development Co-ordinator.

Margaret first joined REHIS on 17 June 1985 through a youth training scheme at college, originally on a four-week placement. However, her hard work and knowledge quickly made an impression, and she was offered a permanent role with REHIS, which she undertook whilst doing her last year of the youth training scheme. Over the years Margaret has been able to see the growth of REHIS, having started as part of a small team of just three people in comparison to the thriving team we have at present.

Margaret has seen significant changes within the Institute, from the introduction of new qualifications and courses, to the presenters and colleagues who have come and gone. However, throughout it all Margaret’s commitment to supporting our training centres and maintaining high standards has always remained consistent. She takes immense pride in working with the presenters across Scotland and, of course, in keeping her assistant Tammie on her toes!

Reflecting on her 40 years, Margaret says she “can’t believe how fast time has passed” and credits her enjoyment of the job and her team for making the years fly in.

On behalf of everyone at REHIS, a huge thank you to Margaret, Cará, and Jane for your outstanding commitment and the invaluable contributions you’ve made over the years. We truly appreciate all that you do!

(Left to right – Sandra Williamson, Margaret O’Hare and Jackie McCabe)

This year’s theme is “Food Safety – Science in Action”. Science is at the heart of food safety. It helps us understand what makes food unsafe and how we can prevent foodborne illness. This year’s theme for World Food Safety Day highlights the vital role scientific knowledge plays in reducing illness, cutting costs, and saving lives.

At REHIS, we support this through our commitment to education and professional development. We offer an array of Food Safety qualifications- educating and bringing awareness to individuals and organisations.

Our REHIS Qualifications include:

🍽️ Introduction to Food Hygiene

📘 Elementary Food Hygiene (SCQF level 5)

📙 Intermediate Food Hygiene (SCQF level 7)

📗 Advanced Food Hygiene (SCQF level 8)

📅 Our Food Update on 4 June 2025 is the perfect lead-in to World Food Safety Day — offering the latest insights on food safety, allergens, advice on fermentation, and more. A great event for those passionate about food safety and public health! https://rehis.com/events/rehis-food-update/

Protecting and improving public health is a fundamental objective of Environmental Health and the work of both REHIS and SOCOEHS. Recognising the contributions of our colleague, Martin Keeley, who sadly passed away in 2022, an award is presented to recognise individuals, groups or organisations for actions which have significantly promoted or improved Environmental Health (this can be for single element or wider Environmental Health).

To submit a nomination, please complete this form HERE. Please submit nominations to contact@rehis.com by 31 July 2025.

On Friday 23 May 2025, the Institute was delighted to host its Annual Awards Presentation at the COSLA Conference Centre in Edinburgh. The event brought together award recipients, colleagues, and guests to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and achievements of those across the Environmental Health profession.

A huge congratulations to all of this year’s graduates in the REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health, Certificate of Equivalence and SFSORB Higher Certificates – your commitment to excellence and professional development is truly inspiring. Other awards presented were the Highfield Awards to those candidates achieving the highest marks at Advanced and Intermediate levels. We were proud to recognise your achievements and celebrate alongside you.

We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to Highfield for sponsoring the Highfield Awards and it was great to have Dan McDade with us to present the Community Training awards.

We’d also like to remind our newly qualified Diploma graduates that they are entitled to a free year of REHIS membership. We encourage you to take full advantage of this opportunity by exploring the benefits of membership, including access to events, training, and resources. It’s also the perfect time to get started with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) — a valuable way to enhance your knowledge and work your way towards chartered status.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event. It was a pleasure to gather in person, and we look forward to continuing to support and celebrate the success of our members.

The IFEH Magazine Environment & Health International Volume 25 No 1, April 2025Edition is now available HERE

PHS Chair Vacancy

Scottish Ministers want to appoint a Chair to PHS. PHS is Scotland’s lead national agency for improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of all Scotland’s people, using the best data, intelligence and research.

Expertise in health and/or social care are not an essential criterion, and applications are invited from a wide range of people who have an interest in public service. Full information can be found here and the closing date for applications is Tuesday 15 May 2025.

If there are any difficulties accessing the SG website, please contact the Public Appointments Team on 0300 244 1898, by email at PA_Applications_Mailbox@gov.scot, or by writing to the Public Appointments Team, Scottish Government, Area 3F North, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ.

To mark our 150^th anniversary, we have launched a brand-new REHIS Instagram page – a space where we will celebrate history, share key updates, and connect more closely with our community.

This new platform is also a step towards enhancing engagement with our REHIS members, offering an accessible way to keep with news from the institute, events, and the broader Environmental Health profession.

Keep an eye out for:

• Event updates and highlights
• Moments from our 150^th celebrations
• Spotlights on members, training partners, and success stories
• Key news about Environmental and Public Health

We would love to see you there! Head over to Instagram and give us a follow @rehisscotland

Let’s grow our community and continue raising the profile of Environmental Health together.

#REHIS #150YearsofREHIS #EnvironmentalHealth #PublicHealth #Scotland #REHISOnInstagram

Early Bird Booking is now open for the REHIS 150th Anniversary Forum which is being held on Thursday 25th September 2025.

BOOK HERE!

As REHIS celebrates 150 years, on International Women’s Day we celebrate the powerful contributions of women who are at the forefront of environmental health and inspiring the next generation of Environmental Health Officers. Here are the Past Presidents of REHIS since 2017.