A further step to combat food poverty in the county, increase availability of affordable food in priority areas and empower communities to improve their diets and health outcomes has been taken.
Stakeholders in the Warwickshire Food Strategy attended an event which brought together all stakeholders involved in the Warwickshire Food Strategy to evaluate what had worked effectively over the lifetime of the outgoing strategy (2023-26) and to gather views and ideas to co-design the new two-year plan (2026-28).
This will be presented to the Warwickshire Food Forum in April with a public launch planned for June.
The plan will continue to focus on three strategic priorities.
- Affordability will focus on helping residents facing food insecurity to access more affordable, healthier food options through social supermarkets, community food projects, and other initiatives.
- A second priority area will use events like Kind Community, Kind Food and volunteer food champions to work with members of the community most in need to educate them, provide resources and develop their skills and confidence in choosing and preparing healthier food options.
- The third will promote locally sourced food and waste reduction by supporting suppliers in and around the county and influencing consumer behaviours.
Cllr Mike Bannister, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for customer and localities and Chair of the Warwickshire Food Forum, said: “The refreshed Warwickshire Food Strategy will draw on what we have learned over the last three years to make our efforts even more productive. We have established strong links in communities where our support is needed and we will continue to empower these communities with education and resources, such as training and affordable produce.
“In the short term, the strategy will support families with the affordability of food and making the grocery shop go further. Longer term, with the expertise that we are drawing on, we can create opportunities for real improvements in health, both mental and physical, as well as improving educational outcomes which a healthy diet supports.”
The achievements of the Food Strategy 2023-26 included:
- 72 community food projects benefiting from a £70,000 grant fund
- Slow cooker classes which provided 288 free cookers (donated by Cadent) with an additional 100 air fryers and cookers donated at community food events.
- Holiday activities and food programmes, healthy start programmes, winter warm hubs and household support fund programmes were also part of the offer.
Cllr Bannister concluded: “Through the work of the Food Forum we have made many inroads and connections within the communities that most need our support. And the research we have done, as well as talking to the people on the ground who are working in these communities, has informed our decisions so the plan for the next two years can make the maximum impact.”
For further information visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/warwickshirefoodstrategy