New partnership across Northampton working ‘tirelessly’ to encourage sustainable food intake

A new partnership across Northampton and surrounding areas has been formed to improve the quality of local food and encourage sustainable food intake.

The West Northamptonshire Sustainable Food Place (WNSFP) launched last month and since starting out various organisations have been working ‘tirelessly’ to improve the sustainability of food in the area.

Public Health Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire Council and the University of Northampton are just a few of the organisations involved in the partnership, which is hoping to educate the general public about food, encourage growing vegetables, improve local sourcing of food for use by large catering provisions and more.

Robin Burgess, CEO of The Hope Centre and co-chair of the group, said: “We care passionately about quality and access to food in our area.

“Among all the partners in WNSFP we are confident in making a real difference to the food we eat locally, improving access to high quality food, and helping the poorest to eat.”

Tom Andrews, director of Sustainable Food Places added: “We are delighted to welcome West Northamptonshire into the network of over 50 places across the UK working to change their local food system.

“Good Food West Northamptonshire is bringing together local community organisations, policy makers and businesses doing inspiring work for healthy and sustainable food.

“The partnership is a real asset to the new local authority in West Northamptonshire.”

As well as helping to educate members of the public, WNSFP will also take action on planning to review planning decisions about fast food outlets, support the development of new artisan food markets and more, including work to get more people trained in catering.

Partnership members, Northamptonshire Public Health, through their spokesperson Rhosyn Harris, lead consultant in health improvement, continued: “Public Health Northamptonshire is excited to be a part of this West Northants sustainable food partnership.

“The aims of the project align with the goals of public health and we believe they are crucial to improving the health and wellbeing of residents and workers in West Northants.

“We know that a poor diet is responsible for one in seven deaths across Northamptonshire and climate change is one of the greatest public health emergencies of our generation.

“This initiative brings together the key agencies that can impact on this wide agenda and we are very happy to be a partner.”

As Covid restrictions lift, the partnership intends to be active in ‘promoting and celebrating’ local good food, how it is produced or grown, sold and how to use it – including helping those on the lowest incomes to eat well.

To find out more, visit the WNSFP website.