Councils are working with a range of community groups to reach vulnerable families as momentum grows to build a fairer, more sustainable food system in one of England’s most historically deprived areas.
Making school food healthier and more accessible, and supporting programmes for families living on lower incomes such as Healthy Start and holiday activity provision are just some of the areas where councils in the North of England are working together to address food poverty, as illustrated in new Sustain report, Good Food Local: The North East report, which tracks council action on food.
Results show councils are investing in local networks and reaching voluntary and community groups to support those experiencing food poverty. Almost all councils are supporting food poverty alliances which bring together local voluntary and community groups to address food poverty in their areas with some councils involving people with lived experience of food poverty in decision-making.
People in the North East experience stark health challenges, with a lower than average healthy life expectancy and a significantly higher gap in life expectancy between the least and most deprived communities. 22% of children are in low-income families with the level of food insecurity across the region higher than others in the UK. Given this backdrop, there is huge potential for change. Partners have a bold vision for reducing health inequalities in the region and making healthy, sustainable food more accessible. Benchmarking action on food, together, for the first time, marks a significant step toward realising this ambition.
Amanda Healy, Durham County Council’s director of public health and Chair of ADPH North East, said:
“Across the North East councils have an important role to play in creating a more healthy and sustainable food system so residents can access affordable, healthy and climate and nature friendly food. To reduce health inequalities and close the gap between the most and least affluent people in our country, we need to understand the current situation within the North East in comparison to other regions. Benchmarking good food at a regional level helps provide this understanding.”
Lucy Chapman, Sector Led Improvement Programme Manager, Association of Directors of Public Health North East says:
“It’s an exciting time to be advocating for change. Good Food Local North East has helped us to grow our Good Food family, collaborating with many diverse partners. Showcasing our results through the Sustain benchmarking tool will help our Local Authorities drive forward shared ambitions and action, spotlighting our regional approaches and celebrating local action as we share practice and improve year on year.”
For over 10 years, Sustain has mapped and reported on London’s borough level commitments to good food through the Good Food for All Londoners survey and report. In this project, funded by Impact on Urban Health, the North East has become the first region to establish this approach outside of London. As well as benchmarking action on food poverty, this report covers action on other pressing food issues including how councils influence diet related ill-health and access to affordable healthy food, efforts to build a sustainable food economy, support of local food growing opportunities and the role of food, and the climate and nature emergency.
The report shows that councils in the North East are actively supporting a flourishing good food movement. Grants and access to tools, resources and training are offered to community food initiatives, with efforts made to foster a network between these initiatives, activists and leaders to provide peer-to-peer support. Eight councils are also reported to have signed up to the Food Active ‘Local Authority Declaration on Healthy Weight’ to reduce unhealthy weight in local communities.
Hannah Crump, Local Policy Co-ordinator, Sustain says:
“Despite a challenging context, there is much to celebrate in the North East. The energy and enthusiasm from local food partnerships, food organisations and councils to come together on food work is inspiring. I can’t wait to see where they take these results and how they use them to shape and stimulate future food work.”
Looking forward, ensuring incomes are high enough to keep people out of poverty by paying and endorsing the Living Wage and supporting cash-first approaches will give people dignity when it comes to their food choices, which is an important part of addressing food poverty overall. Supporting farming systems that are not damaging to the environment and provide healthy, affordable food could also be an area of focus.
Good Food Local: the North East report
In our annual Overall and Beyond the Food Bank tables and series of good food maps, we shine a light on each council's approach to food partnerships, household food insecurity and the wider food system.
Good Food Local
Good Food Local: the London report (previously Good Food for All Londoners) has supported councils in London to transform their food systems for over a decade. Sustain is celebrating one year of Good Food Local, a new phase of work, funded by Impact on Urban Health, which sees this established approach being rolled out across the UK. Sustain has partnered with the North East region to pilot this replication and work towards more healthy and sustainable food for its residents. In addition to working closely with a regional partner, Sustain is developing a benchmarking tool available to all local authorities in the UK to support a collective, national voice for councils on food.
Good Food Local: The North East Report 2024. Credit: Sustain
Good Food Local: Good Food Local supports local authorities to prioritise good food and commit to action on a breadth of food issues.
