22 September 2011 – Schools in Lincolnshire that have excelled in transforming their food culture have been snapping up prestigious Bronze awards. The county has kick-started the autumn term with TWO Food for Life Partnership award ceremonies, proving that Lincolnshire schools are trailblazers for healthy eating and practical food education in the region.
On Thursday 15 September, twelve schools celebrated achieving the Food for Life Partnership Bronze Award at a ceremony held at Woodlands Organic Farm near Boston. The farm regularly hosts school visits, and the children and staff attending the award ceremony were treated to a tour on the day.
What it means to go for Bronze
The Food for Life Partnership Bronze Award means that schools have started to serve seasonal school meals with 75% of the dishes being freshly prepared by a very well-trained school cook. Pupils and parents are involved in planning improvements to school menus and the dining experience, and every pupil has the opportunity to visit a farm, cook and grow food during his or her time at school.
Andrea McCormack, Healthy Schools Coordinator at Billingborough Primary School – one of the schools to be awarded Bronze – says: "Through the support of the Food for Life Partnership team and the achievement of the Bronze Food for Life Partnership Award, we have raised awareness and begun to change the food culture at Billingborough Primary School. We’ve consulted with the children regarding lunchtimes and have made changes to improve the lunchtime experience. Some of our younger children have just completed a growing project whereby they grew vegetables in recycled containers such as milk crates, milk containers and juice containers. They then used the potatoes to make a special salad and took the salad home to share with their family along with the recipe.
"We believe that everyone deserves to have the opportunity to have knowledge of the impact of food on health and that of the planet. We hope that the knowledge the children are gaining from this initiative will have an impact on future generations to lead a healthy lifestyle."
The schools are catered for by First College, Food 4Thought and The Farm Kitchen. Food 4 Thought and The Farm Kitchen have achieved the Gold Food for Life Catering Mark for their high-quality, climate-friendly and organic meals served to schools in Lincolnshire.
Victoria Howe, Director of The Farm Kitchen, says: "We are very proud of our Gold award and very much enjoy working with The Food for Life Partnership. We feel passionately that the benefits of eating high quality delicious meals, and having an understanding of where and how they have been produced, are fundamental to life."
Caroline Clark, Operations Director at Food4Thought, says: ‘’Our journey to Gold has been a challenge but the results we’ve seen so far are outstanding. The quality of the meals we are now serving is the best they have ever been and this is reflected in the overwhelming feedback we receive. It is a pleasure to be in a position where we can help schools achieve their own awards. These children are learning about real food, in a hands-on way; valuable skills that will stay with them for life.’’
Doddington Awards Ceremony
A further 13 schools celebrated their achievements at a Food for Life Partnership ceremony on 28 September. The event took place at Doddington Hall near Lincoln. Doddington Hall is a much loved family home and has never been sold since it was built in 1595 by Robert Smythson, one of England’s foremost Elizabethan architects.
Twelve of the schools have been awarded Bronze, while The Gartree Community School has been awarded Silver.
Sandra James, Business Manager at The Gartree CommunitySchool – the first secondary school in Lincolnshire to achieve Silver – says: "The Food for Life Awards have inspired a whole range of activities at Gartree, these include cooking club, gardening club, poetry competition, student council menu review, supplier interviews and taster sessions, visits and demonstrations from local chefs. The students have made the project truly inclusive, inviting local residents and French exchange students to help with gardening, inviting parents and governors to National Roast Dinner Day and opening the school to the community for a summer fete.
"This is a programme which really adds value and we would be happy to support other schools with their award progress, through sharing ideas or by hosting a visit. Our students are delighted to receive the Silver Award and I am very proud of their achievement."
The schools are catered for by Fleet Fare, Judith Looker, Lincolnshire Kitchens, Mouchel and The Farm Kitchen.
Claire Blackbourn, Catering Services Manager at Mouchel Catering, says: "Food for Life has not only enhanced the quality of food we serve each day it has brought together the cooks, parents, teachers, governors and pupils, all of whom make changes for the better."
The Woodlands ceremony award schools are:
Billingborough Primary School, Sleaford
Colsterworth Primary School, Colsterworth
Cranwell Primary School (Foundation), Sleaford
King Edward VI Humanities College, Spilsby
Kirkby La Thorpe CE Primary School, Kirkby La Thorpe, Sleaford
Manor Leas Infant School, Lincoln
Market Deeping Community Primary School, Market Deeping,
Partney C of E Primary School, Partney
St Peter & St Paul CE Primary School, Burgh-le-Marsh, Skegness,
Swineshead St Mary's C of E Primary School, Boston
The Edenham C of E School, Bourne
The Priory School, Spalding
The Doddington ceremony award schools are:
Ancaster Primary School, Grantham
Berkeley Junior School, Scunthorpre
Branston Junior School, Branston
Faldingworth Primary School, Market Rasen
Holton le Clay Primary School, Grimsby
Leadenham Primary School, Leadenham
Nocton Community Primary School, Lincoln
Osgodby Primary School, Market Rasen
South Hykeham Primary School, Lincoln
Swinderby Primary School, Lincoln
The Gartree Community School, Tattershall
Welbourn C of E Primary School, Welbourn
Worlaby Primary School, Worlaby