Mayoral candidates challenged to extend free school meals

Ben Reynolds
Former Deputy Chief Executive Ben Reynolds left Sustain in 2023.

Since joining Sustain in 2004, Ben led or managed multiple campaigns and networks and coordinated the organisation’s strategic development. This included working with Jamie Oliver’s team to get the government to adopt a sugary drinks tax, and setting up the award winning Children’s Health Fund which piloted the levy with restaurants. Ben helped to set up the Sustainable Food Places, Sugar Smart and Food Power networks, and has co-authored many reports, including the Case for Local Food with the RSPB.

Between 2004 – 2013, Ben led on Sustain’s London work: editting the free ethical London food magazine The Jellied Eel, shortlisted for a Guild of Food Writers award; running the consultation on the Mayor of London's Food Strategy; and developing Sustain’s urban agriculture work - coming up with Capital Growth, supported by the Mayor of London, to create 2,012 food growing spaces in London by 2012, and following that the Big Dig, which encourages volunteering on community food gardens around the UK.

Ben is chair of trustees of the charity School Food Matters, has been a member of the London Food Board, and used to work at Thames Estuary Partnership and run a Farmers’ Market.

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