Ashford Port Health

24/06/2026

How quickly does a year fly by.

Our Business Support Managers - Gill McIver and Ben Clemons will be attending on Wednesday 1 July. 2026

Please drop us a message if you want a catch up / arrange a meeting. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Food

[email protected]
01233 648340

https://www.multimodal.org.uk/

The UK’s Leading Logistics Event for Transport & Supply Chain   Discover New Roads To Success with Multimodal Since 2008, Multimodal has been the UK’s leading logistics event, bringing together shippers, retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, exporters and the suppliers who support ...

24/06/2026

Great to see the Government Chemist Conference 2026 bringing together science, policy and front line regulation this week.

Hosted at Nexus - University of Leeds, the conference focused on “Safe food for tomorrow’s world : evidence-based measurement solutions for responsible regulation “

A standout for Port Health was the contribution from Anthony Baldock, Chairman of the Association of Port Health Authorities, who spoke on the Port Health regulatory environment and the role of technology in modern border controls.

With increasing pressures from global trade, climate change and food security, events like this highlight the critical importance of:

* Strong, science-led regulation

* Collaboration across sectors

* Innovation at the border to protect public health

At Ashford Port Health, this aligns closely with our work at Sevington — ensuring safe, compliant food enters the UK while embracing innovation to improve efficiency and resilience. Strong borders are smart borders and we are leading the field

A valuable conference reinforcing the role of Port Health at the heart of the UK’s biosecurity and food safety system.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Food

[email protected]
01233 648340

23/06/2026

A pleasure to present today at the British International Freight Association - BIFA. Kent and Sussex meeting at the Dover Marina Hotel , alongside my colleague Daniel Acalinei - one of our senior OV's, sharing an update from Ashford Port Health

Our session covered:

* Brexit – 10 years on from the 2016 referendum: reflecting on progress and ongoing challenges

* Removal of non-compliant goods: protecting consumers and UK standards - 226,000 kilos removed from human consumption since November 2024.

* AI and digital innovation: improving efficiency and compliance at the border - It’s one of the most advanced and impactful Port Health AI deployments in the UK right now — not because it replaces people, but because it makes the whole system work smarter. - Alongside Ben Clemons who has been instrumental in the AI project and cost savings to the trade coming to fruition.

* Our student & education programme: building the future workforce.
Over 100 professionals have been supported through targeted education – helping address the UK’s shortage of qualified Environmental Health Officers.”

* Disease outbreaks & biosecurity in Great Britain: strengthening our frontline response - Recent livestock disease outbreaks in parts of Europe highlight the importance of robust border controls.

*SPS alignment - Currently Business as usual.

Great to engage with industry partners and highlight how we continue to support safe, compliant trade while safeguarding public / animal health and the bio-security of GB.

Collaboration between Ashford Port Health and industry has never been more important.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Food.

[email protected]
01233 648340

23/06/2026

Great to see Ashford Port Health / Ashford Borough Council represented at the Local Government Strategy Forum, last week which was held at the De Vere Cotswold Waterpark in Cirencester.

Our Corporate Director (Health and Wellbeing), Anthony Baldock, showcased our innovative AI-driven document processing system — helping transform how we manage rising volumes of imports at the UK border.

✅ Faster processing

✅ Smarter systems

✅ Supporting safe and efficient trade

It’s a great example of how technology and professional expertise are working together to strengthen border controls and protect public health.

Proud to be leading the way.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Border and Safer Goods

[email protected]
01233 648340

23/06/2026

Today is a very important day as it’s the 10th Anniversary of the Brexit Referendum.

On 23 June 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union — a decision that continues to shape how goods, food, and live animals move across our borders.

A decade on, the impact is still being felt every day at Border Control Posts.

At Sevington, our team at Ashford Port Health are operating at real scale — processing around 30.000 import notifications every month and carrying out hundreds of checks every day to keep the UK safe.

From new import controls to evolving bio-security risks, our officers are on the front line, ensuring:

✅ Safe food reaches consumers
✅ Animal health and welfare are protected
✅ Bio-security threats are identified and managed

Behind the headlines, it’s the dedication, resilience and expertise of our team that keeps standards high and the public protected.

10 years on — Ashford Port Health is proud to play a vital role in the UK’s post‑EU landscape, and even prouder of the team delivering it.

Thank You to everyone working on the front line of border controls.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Food

[email protected]
01233 648340

15/06/2026

☀️ National Picnic Week is here (15–21 June) – time to enjoy great food outdoors with family, friends… and hopefully the weather is kind.

But behind every safe picnic is a system working quietly in the background.

At Ashford Port Health, our teams carry out SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) checks to ensure that food entering the UK meets strict safety standards – protecting human and animal health from harmful risks and diseases.

Why does that matter?

Because summer picnics come with increased food safety risks – warmer temperatures allow bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli to multiply more quickly if food isn’t handled correctly.

✅ From border to blanket, safety matters

Our work helps ensure the food reaching your picnic basket is safe, compliant, and high quality – but good hygiene doesn’t stop there:

* Keep food chilled

* Wash hands and surfaces

* Avoid cross-contamination

* Cook food thoroughly

🌿 So this , enjoy the sunshine – and remember the roles behind the scenes keeping your food safe every step of the way.

👏 A huge thank you to our teams working daily to protect public health and biosecurity.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Food.

[email protected]

01233 648340

11/06/2026

What an insightful day at the Frozen Food Federation and Seafish Importers Forum today, held at the The Wesley Hotel in London. The topics covered were diverse, and the presenters demonstrated a truly encyclopaedic depth of knowledge throughout the event.

Thank you for the invitation and for providing such an informative and engaging forum. It was an excellent opportunity to share knowledge, discuss current challenges and opportunities within the sector, and strengthen collaboration across the industry

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Goods

[email protected]
01233 648340

11/06/2026

Ashford Port Health were delighted to attend the event on the 2nd June, 2026, hosted by the U.S. Embassy celebrating 250 years of American Food, Drink, & Agriculture. Ashford Port Health was invited by Steve Knight, Senior Agricultural Specialist.

It was a valuable opportunity to reconnect with a wide range of stakeholders across Great Britain’s food sector, including importers, traders, food and drink influencers, as well as key governmental bodies such as Animal and Plant Health Agency, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Food Standards Agency, and Port Health Authority representatives (Vets and Port Health Seniors).

We had the honour of meeting the U.S. Ambassador, Mr. Warren Stephens, who opened the event by highlighting the importance of collaboration between our two countries within this sector and the promising future of this partnership.

The event provided an exceptional showcase of food and drink products, and more importantly, a fantastic opportunity for engagement, strengthening relationships, and supporting ongoing collaboration within the GB food sector

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Goods

[email protected]
01233 648340

05/06/2026

National Fish & Chip Day 🐟🍟 5th June, 2026.

A British classic—but one that depends on a global supply chain we don’t always see.

At Ashford Port Health, our work goes far beyond the plate. Every day, we play a role in tackling Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, helping to ensure that seafood entering the UK is:

✔ Legally sourced
✔ Traceable
✔ Safe for consumers

From documentary checks to inspections at the BCP in Sevington, our teams help protect not just public health—but marine sustainability too.
Because enjoying fish & chips with confidence means knowing it’s been sourced responsibly.

One shared goal: safe, sustainable food everywhere.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Food

[email protected]
01233 648340

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag #

05/06/2026

As we mark Food Safety Week, we’re also celebrating one of the UK’s favourite snacks—on National Sausage Roll Day. A simple classic—but one that depends on safe, high-quality ingredients.

It’s a reminder that food safety matters at every level—from complex supply chains to everyday favourites.

At Ashford Port Health, we’re working behind the scenes to ensure food entering the UK is safe, compliant and ready for consumers, even before it reaches the shelf.

So you can enjoy the little things with confidence.

One shared goal: safe food, everywhere.

Ashford Port Health - Your Gateway to Secure Borders and Safer Goods.

[email protected]
01233 648340