East Ayrshire shows way for all services with fresh,
local and healthy school dinners
UNISON LAUNCHES 'FOOD FOR GOOD' CHARTER
by Chris Bartter and Fiona Montgomery
The pioneering fresh, local and healthy school meals enjoyed
by East Ayrshire children should be standard in all Scotland's
schools, hospitals and prisons, UNISON said at the launch
of its 'Food for Good' charter.
UNISON launched its new Food for Good Charter at one of the
East Ayrshire schools that helped show how healthy, sustainable
meals can be provided at a reasonable cost. The union wants
to see Food for Good introduced across the public sector to
help change the diet and health of the nation.
It has recommended the changes in a response to the Scottish
Government's consultation on establishing a national food
policy.
Speaking at Gargieston Primary School in Kilmarnock, Dave
Watson, Scottish Organiser, said, "Food for Good would improve
the health of children in schools and nurseries and of hospital
patients and prisoners as well as being good for the environment,
for local suppliers and those in the developing world.
"East Ayrshire has delivered a first class example of how
public sector catering can rise to the challenge and deliver
quality, healthy food. Food that is fresh and prepared and
sourced locally where possible. And provided at a cost within
the standard range local authorities already pay. The Food
for Good Charter addresses a range of issues including sustainability,
health, fair trade, proper pay and employment conditions and
animal welfare.
Lilian Macer, Chair of UNISON's Health Group Executive and
herself a hospital chef in Lanarkshire said, "We believe that
sustainability should be at the heart of food policy. The
aim for all public sector catering should be to give a daily
option of an organic/ethically produced main meal. Previous
policies such as Compulsory Competitive Tendering, PFI, and
outsourcing led to mass-produced cook-chill and cook-freeze
products being transported hundreds of miles in order to cut
costs at the expense of a quality service."
Robin Gourlay, Head of Facilities Management at East Ayrshire
Council, instigated the award-winning initiative at primary
schools under the Hungry for Success programme and later adopted
the Soil Association's Food for Life scheme. He said: "We
must be able to teach children to be knowledgeable consumers
of tomorrow who understand the impact of food on their health
and on the environment.
"Our catering staff who provide school food understand the
vital role they have within the context of an educational
environment in achieving that goal. UNISON's Food for Good
campaign also recognises the bigger picture and acknowledges
that the public sector generally, and that local authorities
who have clear community regeneration and well-being responsibilities,
can become leading actors."
A Scottish Executive evaluation in 2006 of the East Ayrshire
initiative to introduce local organic food to schools said
the "ingredient and administration costs have gone up modestly,
though they remain within the range that many Local Authorities
are already paying. This allays to some extent the fear that
increased costs would mean local supply is not viable."
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