Since 2024 we have been working with primary schools across Lancashire, with a particular focus on areas with high levels of deprivation, to contribute to reducing health inequalities and childhood obesity. Funded by Lancashire County Council, we support schools to achieve Food for Life Awards by taking a whole settings approach to good food, making positive, healthy and sustainable changes in schools across the county. Our local team co-ordinate and deliver training for teachers and school staff, provide one to one help and up to date resources for schools to get started and can provide help and resources for school governors, catering teams, families and community groups.
Contact Libby Shaw-Davies, lshawdavies@soilassociation.org to find out more.
Food for Life has worked in partnership with Walsall Council since 2017. The programme, commissioned by Walsall Public Health, is working with 41 Early Years settings, 53 Primary Schools and the wider community to improve food education, and the quality of and access to healthy and sustainable food for all. The Food for Life programme in Walsall is supporting the 2025-2030 Walsall Food Plan ‘Feeding Walsall’s Future’ which sets out a collective vision for a sustainable and fair food environment where good food is grown, accessible and promoted for our residents to have healthy, nutritious, affordable and appealing food choices.
The Walsall programme provides access to the Early Years Awards, School Awards and Nourishing Community Awards plus one to one support and free training. The Walsall based Food for Life team work directly with settings to deliver in-person support and training based on individual needs. As part of the commission we are also supporting the development of a Walsall Food Partnership and Sustainable Food Places membership.
Contact Jenine Hadley, jhadley@soilassociation.org to find out more.
Food for Life has worked in partnership with Leicestershire County Council since 2013 to increase levels of food education and facilitate environmental change in schools. Funding from the Leicestershire County Council gives all Primary and SEND schools in the county access to a fully funded place on the Food for Life schools award programme plus online training. Our locally based member of the Food for Life team works directly with schools identified as a priority, to deliver in-person support and training to school staff and the local community based on their individual needs. Our work supports the Leicestershire healthy weight strategy with a focus on areas with high levels of overweight or obesity.
Contact Katie Worth kworth@soilassociation.org to find out more.
Our work in West Northamptonshire is focused on areas with high levels of deprivation. Funded by West Northamptonshire Council, our locally based Food for Life team work directly with identified schools and nurseries in the area to support them to achieve a Food for Life Bronze award. Additionally our sustainable catering team supports cooks and caterers working in these settings to improve the quality of the food served and ensure it is as healthy and sustainable as possible. Food for Life's work in the area contributes towards the West Northants Sustainable Food Network.
Contact Joanne Plater jplater@soilassociation.org to find out more.
The Soil Assocaition Food team are supporting Derby City to lay the foundations to build a city-wide, cross sector food partnership. Our support takes an asset-based approach, mapping current food provision and projects across the city to identify areas of strength as well as things that need to be developed from scratch. part of this process is to interview key stakeholders working across the food system to capture insight and opportunities to harness a more joined up approach that grows a local food movement, addresses poverty and diet-related ill health, aiming to create a vibrant food economy that supports climate, sustainability and health. We will use our findings to propose a governance structure that meets the needs of the city, co-create a shared vision and provide a roadmap to achieve the Sustainable Food Places Bronze award.
To find out more please contact Adam Carter via acarter@soilassociation.org.
In Sheffield we work in partnership with locally based not-for-profit organisation Learn Sheffield. Learn Sheffield is commissioned by Sheffield City Council to deliver the successful Eat Smart Sheffield programme. The Eat Smart Sheffield team work directly with schools across the city to achieve Food for Life school awards as part of their broader offer of support to help Sheffield to "eat smart".
Contact Lisa Aldwin, lisa.aldwin@learnsheffield.co.uk to find out more.
Food for Life are delivering a ‘whole school’ food and nutrition programme to champion healthy and sustainable food in schools and tackle and prevent childhood obesity.
Contact Adam Carter acarter@soilassociation.org to find out more.
