Islington tops London Borough league table for good food, for the second year running
Islington has been named as London’s ‘Top Good Food Borough’ for the second year running, in a new report published today. The London Borough of Merton is highlighted as ‘Most Improved Good Food Borough’, with eight more boroughs receiving commendations.
The Good Food for London 2012 report provides a league table of local authorities on their support for key good food initiatives, such as community food growing, high quality school food, helping local food outlets serve healthier food, and buying ethical food in schools and local authority canteens - including Fairtrade products, cage-free eggs and sustainable fish.
Report author and London Food Link officer, Ross Compton, said: “Londoners care about good food, and they want to know what their boroughs are doing to support good food. Back in 2011, we first produced a league table, and maps showing which boroughs are taking action on good food. In 2012, we are delighted to report London-wide progress on all of the six good food initiatives that we tracked. In many London boroughs, schoolchildren are now receiving fresher, tastier and more sustainable food than last year, and tens of thousands of local residents have better access to green space for growing food. Borough support for farmers and local businesses has also improved, and there are early signs that several boroughs are doing their bit to create bee-friendly environments.”
“The Good Food for London maps paint an inspiring picture of progress by many London Boroughs to support good food,” said Kath Dalmeny, a member of the London Food Board that advises on London’s food policy. “The maps also challenge those boroughs that are lagging behind to follow the good example set by Islington and others, and take more action to make it easier for their residents and visitors to eat healthier and more sustainable food. If all London Boroughs took the simple, affordable and effective action outlined in this report, it would significantly improve the health of Londoners, the livelihoods of the farmers and other food providers, and the sustainability of the food system on which we all depend.”
As well as Islington and Merton, eight more London boroughs out of a total of 33 received praise for their work to support good food, namely: Camden, Enfield, Greenwich, Havering, Richmond-upon-Thames, Sutton, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Havering was also highlighted as having shown leadership on good food buying, having helped other boroughs to buy good food affordably through collaborative buying contracts. The remaining boroughs had shown progress on one or more key food issue. Only the London Borough of Hillingdon did not appear to be taking significant action on good food issues.
The Good Food for London 2012 report will be launched at the Good Food for London conference on 11th September, examining the progress of improving London’s food over the last decade, hearing from some of the movers and shakers in London’s ethical food scene. Tickets are available at www.londonfoodlink.org. At the event, Islington and Merton will receive awards for their achievements, as Top Good Food Borough. Other awards, for caterers helping Londoners to eat healthier and more sustainable food, include the venue 15Hatfields; caterers Eden Caterers and Squid & Pear; head catering for the London Borough of Havering Gerry Clinton, for helping other boroughs buy good food affordably through collaborative contracts; the national government department Defra for adopting a mandatory sustainable fish policy for one third of public sector catering; and head of catering for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Jan Matthews – with commendations for London 2012 caterers Aramark, BaxterStorey and Sodexo.
ENDS
For media enquiries, more information, images and maps, contact:
- Ben Reynolds, tel: 0203 5596 777 (mobile: 07939 202711), email: ben@sustainweb.org
- Ross Compton, tel: 0203 5596 777 email: ross@sustainweb.org
Notes to editors
- The Good Food for London report is published by London Food Link (www.londonfoodlink.org), a network of people and organisations working to promote healthy and sustainable food for London, with support from independent organisations that promote healthy and sustainable food, members of the London Food Board and the Chair of the London Food Board, Rosie Boycott. The Good Food for London report can be downloaded at www.sustainweb.org/londonfoodlink/good_food_for_london/. London Food Link is a project of Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, a registered charity no. 1018643.
- The Good Food for London event is held at Rich Mix, Liverpool Street, 11 September. 2 – 8pm. This event will launch the Good Food for London report as well as celebrate the 10th anniversary of London Food Link. The event will look at the progress of improving London’s food over the last decade and hear from some of the movers and shakers in London’s ethical food scene. Tickets available at www.londonfoodlink.org. At the event, Islington and Merton will receive awards for their achievements, as Top Good Food Borough. Other awards, for caterers helping Londoners to eat healthier and more sustainable food, include the venue 15Hatfields; caterers Eden Caterers and Squid & Pear; head catering for the London Borough of Havering Gerry Clinton, for helping other boroughs buy good food affordably through collaborative contracts; the national government department Defra for adopting a mandatory sustainable fish policy for one third of public sector catering; and head of catering for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Jan Matthews – with commendations for London 2012 caterers Aramark, BaxterStorey and Sodexo.
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The seven key food issues surveyed in the Good Food for London report are:
- Community food growing: London Borough support for the Capital Growth campaign, backed by the Mayor of London, Sustain and the Big Lottery, that aims to create 2,012 new community food growing spaces for London by the end of 2012. Over 1,800 food growing spaces have already been created, many of which have been made possible by London Borough support, with 22 Boroughs signed up and two others making progress. See: www.capitalgrowth.org
- Fairtrade food: Fairtrade guarantees a better income for food producers in poor countries. London Boroughs can buy and promote Fairtrade food, to help tackle global poverty, and 23 out of London’s 33 Boroughs now have Fairtrade status, making London the largest Fairtrade City in the world. See: www.fairtradelondon.org.uk
- Food for Life in schools: The Food for Life Partnership helps schools improve food quality, education and introduce food growing, with proven benefits for children’s health and educational attainment. The Food for Life Catering Mark works with caterers to improve food standards, and 23 London Boroughs so far have achieved a Bronze Catering Mark, with 2 impressively going on to achieve a Gold award: Havering and Kensington & Chelsea. See: www.soilassociation.org/cateringmark/
- Sustainable Fish City: Twenty six London Boroughs have taken at least one significant action (Eleven have taken at least two) to help save marine life and ocean ecosystems. Action may include buying sustainable fish for Council meals and other publicly funded institutions, and running the Fish & Kids project (free of charge) to promote Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fish in school catering. See: www.sustainablefishcity.net.
- Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards: Run by Compassion in World Farming, these awards celebrate commitments by food companies and local authorities to buying higher welfare eggs, meat and dairy produce. Nine London Boroughs have achieved a Good Egg Award for using free range eggs, and one borough, Islington, being the first borough to receive a Good Chicken Award, adding to its existing Good Egg Award. See: www.compassioninfoodbusiness.com/awards
- Healthier Catering Commitment: This initiative has been designed by environmental health teams in London Boroughs with support from primary care trusts (PCTs), the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and the Greater London Authority. It offers practical advice to food outlets to make food healthier. The scheme is promoted by environmental health teams and PCTs, with 20 London Boroughs participating in this or something to a similar standard, and 3 other boroughs exploring participation, see: www.cieh.org/healthier-catering-commitment.html
- Bees and honey: Capital Bee is an initiative to help London become a bee-friendly environment, and is asking London’s residents to help bees by growing some of their own food, planting bee-friendly plants; creating a bee-friendly garden, and buy something organic. London Boroughs can also help by making a public pledge not to use neonicotinoid pesticides (those known to be the , create forage-rich planting plans for public spaces, and to support community food growing and community bee-keeping. Because this is a relatively new initiative, boroughs are not yet scored on their involvement: www.capitalbee.org
- Information is also provided in the survey on opportunities for London Boroughs to help: Improve health; Support farmers; Reduce food waste; Maintain school food standards; Save money by buying food collaboratively and helping residents do so too; Promote bakers and real bread; Reduce poverty; Build good food skills; Protect consumers; Promote local shops and markets; and promote good food through sensible planning.
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London Boroughs were assessed for their involvement in the 6 good food schemes listed above (note 2) and what they have achieved through their participation: 6.5 points were available for full participation in all 6 schemes listed, with half-marks available for London Boroughs demonstrating good or excellent progress. . 1 point is awarded for achieving the top award for a food issue; the Food for Life Gold Award is an exception, receiving 1.5 points. See: www.sustainweb.org/londonfoodlink/2011_which_london_boroughs_are_showing_leadership/:
- Top scorers were Islington (6 points) and Merton (5.5) (also most improved since last year).
- Making excellent progress were Camden (4.5 points), Enfield (4.5), Greenwich (4.5), Havering (4.5), Richmond-upon Thames (5), Sutton (4.5), Tower Hamlets (5) and Waltham Forest (4.5).
- A new entry into the top 10 London Boroughs for Good Food was Havering, in part due to their attaining a top Food for Life Gold Catering Mark for its achievements on school food. Falling out of the top ten is Croydon, due in part to their losing their Food for Life Silver Catering Mark standard, and Croydon withdrawing Council support for school food since 2011. Lagging behind were Bexley (1 points), Brent (1.5), Harrow (1.5), Hillingdon (0), and Westminster (1.5).
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All other London Boroughs scored between 2 and 4 out of a total possible 6.5 points.
Published Wednesday 12 September 2012
London Food Link: London Food Link brings together community food enterprises and projects that are working to make good food accessible to everyone in London to help create a healthy, sustainable and ethical food system for all.
