Leeds Apprentices Chosen for Team GB Butchery Squad
May 12, 2026Two local apprentices set to compete internationally in 2028
Two butchery apprentices from Leeds City College have been selected to represent Great Britain at the World Butchers’ Challenge in Australia in 2028. Nikita Somma and Will Callaghan will join the Team GB Butchery UK Lions Squad, participating in national and international events ahead of the competition.
Apprentices’ backgrounds and achievements
Nikita Somma, who works at Sykes House Farm near Wetherby, has gained national recognition for her skills. In 2025, she competed in the Battle of the Butchers at The Dalziel Apprentice Butcher Competition, where she won the Golden Cleaver Award along with two other categories. She was also named Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year and Best Retail Butchery Apprentice 2025 at the Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers’ Annual Prizegiving. Recently, Nikita was awarded Leeds City College’s Apprentice Learner of the Year.
Nikita has expressed a desire to encourage more women to pursue careers in butchery. She has plans to open an educational establishment aimed at supporting young women entering the trade.
Will Callaghan works at R H Binks & Sons in Wakefield and began his apprenticeship at Leeds City College in 2022, starting with a Level 2 Butcher apprenticeship. He has received the York Butchers Guild Apprentice of the Year award and the Luminate Team Working award. Will has since progressed to a Level 3 Advanced Butcher apprenticeship. He described his selection for the Team GB squad as a significant milestone and expressed pride in representing his college, country, and workplace.
Team GB Butchery UK Lions Squad
The squad comprises 24 professionals from various independent butchers and farms across the UK. Members were selected through a rigorous process assessing skill, commitment, and consistency.
The team is scheduled to have its first informal meeting on 17 May, followed by attendance at the Dalziel Butchers Show at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate in June.
