The Good Food for London Report has just been issued, and its great news for Enfield Council as the authority has increased its ranking by points awarded from 4.5 in 2013 to 6.5 this year, and is currently ranked 7th out of the 32 London boroughs.
The report is produced by the London Food Link, part of the healthy eating charity Sustain and members of the London Food Board. The Good Food for London report provides a league table of local authorities’ support for key good food initiatives, such as the UNICEF baby friendly initiative, community food growing, London Living Wage, Fairtrade food, Food for Life in schools, sustainable fish, animal welfare, healthier catering and local food partnerships.
Some of the initiatives Enfield Council has supported include:
– The Garden Enfield initiative which is aimed at promoting food growing in the borough, and supports projects such as Food Growing Schools, Forty Hall Farm market garden, the Enfield Veg Co. and other community gardens
– Being signed up to the London Living Wage, ensuring all its employees are paid a fair wage
– A commitment to Fairtrade, selling the products in its civic buildings and schools
– A ‘Breastfeeding Welcome’ scheme encouraging local businesses to sign up to show they welcome breastfeeding mothers, and other projects to support women to give their baby the best start in life. Additionally, North Middlesex University Hospital has achieved Stage 1 Baby Friendly accreditation, while Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals have Stage 2 status.
– Working with local restaurants and takeaways to offer healthier options as part of the Healthier Catering Commitment
– Enfield Catering Services being awarded the Soil Association’s Silver Catering Mark for their work with school meals
– Commitment to animal welfare with Enfield Catering using meat that is Farm-Assured as a minimum and free-range eggs
– Use of sustainable fish in school meals approved by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
– The establishment of the Enfield Food Partnership, with an aim to apply for Sustainable Food Cities membership within six months
Enfield was also recognised in the report for involvement in the “Eat Better, Start Better” Project, working with early years’ settings to provide healthier menus.
Furthermore, our work goes beyond this, for example switching some of its cleaning products or soaps used in the civic buildings and School’s Catering to those which have not been tested on animals (BUAV-approved).
Cllr Alan Sitkin, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development said: “Food really matters, not just for health but socially and economically.
“I am delighted to say that Enfield Council is playing its full part in improving diet, reducing healthcare costs and developing food initiatives across the borough.
“We are working with the NHS and schools to promote healthy eating messages and initiatives to tackle obesity in the population. We also run a number of projects helping local people grow their own food, even learn to cook and prepare it in a healthy way. The council also has partnerships with our local farms, like the Enfield Veg Co, to ensure it is easier than ever to be able to get fresh healthy food grown on your doorstep.
“We are very pleased to have done so well but we won’t rest on our laurels. We will keep working hard to encourage good food habits in Enfield so that everyone has access to a plentiful supply of nutritious healthy food, and we will do everything we can to help our residents eat properly and healthily regardless of their age, background or budget.”
To see the full report go here: http://www.enfield.gov.uk/downloads/file/10248/good_food_for_london_2014
‘Eating better in Enfield’
Between December 2012 and September 2013, Enfield Council’s Food Safety and Early Years teams delivered the Eat Better Start Better programme across the boroughs early years settings. The project involved the training of 20 Enfield Council staff and 19 early years’ practitioners in the Department for Education ‘Voluntary Food and Drink
Guidelines for Early Years Settings’, undertaking audits in 29 early years settings, and running 46 healthy cooking sessions for 337 parents and 12 sessions with the wider community.
The programme increased the number of settings that met the food and drink guidelines and lead to a greater choice of food on offer and a reduction in levels of salt and sugar. Anecdotal reports suggested that the programme had a positive impact on the skills and confidence of families to cook from scratch and to support each other to develop new skills.
The Environmental Health team will now be repeating the base line evaluation and will provide further recommendations for nutritional improvements to participating settings and further early years settings within the borough.
“The health of our young people is a massive priority for Enfield Council and the Children’s Trust, Eat Better Start Better project has played a vital role in improving the menus in nurseries and ensuring young children in Enfield get a balanced nutritious meal at least once a day. Our food safety officers inspected 29 nurseries, looking at their food policies and menus, and suggested improvements where necessary, there has been a significant improvement in the quality of the food offered as a direct result of that work and I am delighted that we have been able to make a real difference to the quality of the food offered in these establishments.”
Cllr Chris Bond, Enfield Council’s Cabinet
Member for Environment and Community Safety
