There’s still time for residents who are passionate about helping others and would like to have a go at volunteering this year to get involved in becoming a Warwickshire Food Champion.
Food Champion volunteers will get to work with local groups and communities across the county to equip people with the right knowledge about how to eat more healthily, in a way that is affordable, and that contributes to the environment in more sustainable ways.
No specific dietary expertise or formal qualifications are required to become a volunteer, but free online training sessions are being provided to equip each individual with the necessary tools and knowledge.
The remaining training sessions are free to join and will be held online on the following dates:
- Session on 7 February 2024, 7-9pm. Find out how people can learn to cook and grow their own food, including low-cost cooking, healthy approaches, reducing food waste, and community approaches to food sharing.
- Session on 21 February, 7-9pm. This will be all about food and the environment, covering the impact of food supply systems on climate change and how this can be reduced, as well as key approaches to living healthily and self-awareness. A summary of the course will complete this series of four sessions.
A final session on 28 February, 7-8:30pm, will take place for individuals that have attended at least one of more of the training sessions and wish to go on to become Warwickshire Food Champions.
The first two training sessions took place in January and were well attended with at least 30 prospective volunteers already in training. The topics covered in previous training sessions have included the Public Health challenges faced in Warwickshire relating to diet and food inequalities, and what forms the basis of a healthy and sustainable diet.
If you would like to find out more, ask questions, or catch-up on any missed sessions, please contact Mike Slemensek at mikeslemensek@warwickshire.gov.uk.
Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture, said:
"It was a pleasure to attend the first Food Champion session to provide an introduction to the volunteer training and the Warwickshire Food Strategy, and to virtually meet so many people who are passionate about food and wanting to help others in making more affordable, healthy, and sustainable food choices.
“Volunteers are an integral part of our local communities, and I encourage anyone who would like to get involved in volunteering to become a Warwickshire Food Champion and empower more people to make healthier food and well-being changes that are accessible and affordable to all.”
The volunteers will contribute towards the wider work of the Warwickshire Food Strategy 2023-26, which has been developed by the Warwickshire Food Forum partnership. The Strategy focuses on taking action against food poverty, and being able to make good quality, healthy and affordable food available for all across the County. To achieve this, the County Council is working with agencies and organisations from across the public, private, voluntary and community sectors to further develop the Strategy’s Delivery Plan. The aim of this plan includes:
- Reducing food poverty and resulting ill-health;
- Promoting local and sustainable food; and
- Decreasing food waste and greenhouse gases related to our food system.
For more information about the Warwickshire Food Strategy 2023-26, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/warwickshirefoodstrategy
To find out more about the community work being delivered in support of the Warwickshire Food Strategy, visit SearchOut Warwickshire – Warwickshire Food Strategy.
For cost-of-living support, visit www.costoflivingwarwickshire.co.uk