15 October 2025
Berrywood Hospital, part of the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT), has become one of the first hospitals in the UK to achieve Food for Life Served Here (FFLSH) Gold in record time, a landmark moment for hospital catering and sustainability.
Berrywood Hospital is a specialist mental health facility providing freshly prepared meals for patients across its wards, alongside a welcoming café for staff and visitors. From the outset of their Food for Life journey, the catering team set their sights high, aiming straight for Gold.
With dedicated one-to-one support from the Food for Life team, Berrywood’s caterers were guided through every stage of the transformation. Together, they reimagined how food was sourced, prepared, and served, with the shared vision of making every meal both nourishing and sustainable.
Achieving the Gold standard means more meals cooked from scratch, focusing on whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, and prioritising local and organic suppliers. Elevating the quality and sustainability of the food as well as deepening Berrywood’s ties with the local community and producers.
Through Food for Life training, the catering team developed new skills and confidence in scratch cooking, and the impact has been clear. Surveys show that patients and staff are happier than ever with the meals served on site.
David Maher, Deputy Chief Executive at NHFT, reflected on the achievement:
“We are immensely proud that Berrywood Hospital achieved the Food for Life Served Here Gold award. Recognising the vital connection between nutrition, wellbeing, and recovery, particularly in mental health settings, has been at the heart of the reason for going for gold.
The team have worked incredibly hard to ensure sustainability is at the forefront of all they do, by sourcing more food locally and prioritising ethical suppliers. This is a landmark moment for our Trust, providing valuable recognition for the hardworking members of staff that provide exceptional food every day and for hospital catering nationally.”
Joanne Fitzgerald, a member of the Berrywood catering team, also shared her reflections on the journey:
“It has taken a huge amount of work for our small team, from redesigning menus to working closely with new suppliers. But the support from Food for Life gave us the confidence and structure to get there, and seeing how much patients and staff value the food makes it all worthwhile.”
The Berrywood team isn’t stopping at Gold. They’re now working towards the Soil association’s Green Kitchen Standard certification which focuses on reducing energy use, water consumption, and food waste. They are also using Cool Food Pro, a free environmental calculator to measure the environmental impact of every improvement, allowing for transparent and data-driven sustainability progress.
Food for Life Head of Business Development, Caron Longden added:
"Berrywood’s success proves that with strong partnerships and clear planning, gold is possible, and the benefits for patients, staff, and the environment are worth every step. She continued, “It is probably in part due to the nimbleness of a small setting such as Berrywood’s which has played a role in them achieving gold. This brings into focus how larger trusts and catering contracts can meet red tape or time pressures, but it is something we must work together on, to conquer as all hospitals look to sustainability goals."