Agenda item

Food for Life will present on their programme.

8.1  The chair welcome Jillian Pitt; Nutrition and Health Advisor, and Claire Everette; Commisioning Manager London, from Food for Life who went through the presentation [attached to the minutes].

8.2  They reported that Food for Life has been going for over 5 years and is Big Lottery Funded.  Garden organic is a partner and this introduces children to growing food. Foods for Life are aiming for half of all schools to be in the programme by 2020. Michael Grove commissioned the fast food producer Leon to work on healthy food.

8.3  Channel 4 dispatches television programme reported that all meals were getting worse because Academies are not required to conform to the same food standard as Local Authority maintained schools. This highlights the fear that Academies will not choose to meet these standards. However, Food for Life reported that many Academies were, however some were not. The presenters expressed disappointment that the Gold Flag of one provider was not focused on in the Dispatches programme.

8.4  The Nutrition and Health Advisor reported that there is a perception of cost, however she thinks the additional cost is worth it.  Some parents think that they can provide lunch at a lower cost but there is a question of nutrient needs being met in packed lunches. A hot meal is also important. Farmers think that you can deliver organic food at the same cost if the economies of scale are met.

8.5  The Food for Life programme is not just about nutritional standards; the programme has a holistic approach to health. The synergies with food and exercise were highlighted, and Food for Life reported that they have a close working partnership with MIND and Sustains.

8.6  Foods for Life have an emphasis in local partnership. The presenters said there had been a shift and that people are keen to take up this initiative. The project emphasises the social experience – and that they promote the use of knives and forks and sensual involvement. Some schools have chickens and goats and utilise the grounds to grow food, even in deprived areas. They reported that some schools encourage parents to grow and sell food on Friday.

8.7  Food for Life encourages a place and time for pupils and patents to be engaged and contribute. They reported that senior management and caterers are very important to drive the initiative forward.

8.8  The funding strategy is to get mainstream funding. Food for Life is also finding support from hospitals. They reported that the project is benefiting from a health and well-being focus on tackling obesity, reducing diabetes and other related health conditions.

8.9  An academic review  demonstrated the positive impacts and the programmes is seeing an increase in vegetable consumption and a reduction in poor diet - both children and adults are increasing fruit and vegetable consumption by 40% as a result of the programme.

8.1  Locally Surrey Squares is a silver award and working to gold, with school lunches featuring apple crumble made from school grown apples.

8.2  The chair thanked Food for Life for the presentation and invited members to ask questions. A member asked how many schools are locked into a catering contract. Nutrition and Health Advisor responded that this is an issue, and that some are locked in. Colin Gale, Free Healthy School Meals Project Lead, explained that in Southwark 14 of our primary schools are using the Food for Life programme and that he is promoting it. He commented that members have visited a number of schools that would easily get the bronze award. He explained that all contracts delegated to individual schools and that some of the main contractors are Food for Life.

8.3  A member queried whether inner city schools had the space to grow food.  Food for Life explained that there are opportunities to be creative and there is a partnership with Garden Organic. Food for Life commented that that if there is a will there is a way, and sometimes local partnerships can help find resources. Roof gardens are being used in schools and that works very well.

8.4  The clinical evidence for an impact on obesity was asked about. Food for Life responded that the academic study has focused on primary schools. There is a holistic approach which the evidence shows can have most impact. It is hard to say there is a direct affect on obesity - however they are looking at the child measurement programme and developing a framework, as the programme does need to be able to demonstrate to commissioners the value of the work.

8.5  The Headteacher representative commented that her school has found that it has a good effect on behaviours and that her school grows food on a very small amount of land.

8.6  A member said that expanding the awareness of healthy eating is very welcome. He went on to comment that the diversity of food is sometimes lacking in schools and raised concerns about the range of food on offer, and noted that this is sometimes limited, particularly given diverse communities in Southwark. Food for Life responded that they are not sure that it is limited and pointed out menus are usually on a three week cycle. Schools also often have theme days.

8.7  The Nutrition and Health Advisor said this highlights the importance of children's engagement, and that there is an opportunity for children to give feedback. She said that there usually there are a couple of options on the menu but there is a need to restrict option because of cost and the need to reduce wastage. The member said he thought a diversity of menu options important and officers explained that there is diversity over the menu cycle. A member noted that John Donne had held taster days and that these had helped expand the children’s enjoyment of a wider range of food, and that there was a high level of children and parental involvement in developing the menus. Food for Life and Colin Gale agreed this was best practice and that some schools did this but others did not, and that this is something that both would like to see increasing.