Lewisham Food Strategy
Lewisham Food Strategy is a partnership of people across Lewisham borough aiming to increase the health and welfare of Lewisham people through improved access to nutritious and safe food from a more sustainable food chain.
Aims and Objectives
The strategy consists of five themes with associated working groups
- Food Access - The aim is to reduce the physical, economic, social cultural and education barriers which prevent people from accessing food, which will improve their health and well-being.
- Food in Schools - The aim is to increase the healh and welfare of children through improved access and awareness of a healthy diet, food safety and sustainability.
- Food, nutrition and health - The aim is to contribute to long term improvements in the diet and nutrition of people in Lewisham and the reduction of nutrition related ill health and disease in the borough.
- Food sustainability - To achieve a more sustainable food chain in Lewisham by improving the sustainability of food produced, transported, sold and consumed in the borough.
- Food safety - The aim is to ensure the safety, composition and information provided about foods produced, imported, sold and consumed in Lewisham, and to reduce the incidence of food poisoning.
Partners
Partners include:
- Health First (health promotion specialists for Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham)
- Lewisham Primary Care Trust
- University Hospital Lewisham
- London Borough of Lewisham
- Healthy Schools Partnership
- Voluntary Action Lewisham
- South London and Maudsley Mental Health Trust
- New Cross New Deal for Communities
- Lewisham Town Centre Managers.
Methodology
A strategy group meets every quarter to oversee the work of the five working groups and share ideas of how the partners can work together to achieve shared aims.
Promotion
The strategy was launched in Lewisham in summer 2006. The strategy was based on a stakeholder event in early 2005.
Resources
The strategy has no specific funding attached to it. Food related projects within the borough have funding attached to them. Any joint work is funded by the partners and is usually in-kind funding.
Evaluation
Individual food projects are measured as decided by those who lead on/fund them. The strategy as a whole will be evaluated on how it works as a mechanism for increasing food related work/raising awareness and encouraging partnership working in the borough.
Lessons Learned
The main problem for the strategy has been lack of funding in the borough for food related work and the need to coordinate the strategy. Ideally, the strategy would have a dedicated co-ordinator. Initial problems were encountered in bringing a wide range of people together with different agendas and targets.
Future Developments
It is hoped that the strategy group will continue to work together and work towards fulfilling its aims.
Other Resources:
This project has now completed or changed but remains on the Food Vision site as an example of a great food project, the project team can no longer be contacted.