Greenwich Tops London’s ‘Good Food’ Table

by our RBG Correspondent | Woolwich

The work being done in Greenwich to enable local people to eat a healthier, more affordable and sustainable diet has brought an accolade for the Royal Borough in the 2015 Good Food in London report, published today (18 December) by a leading food charity and supported by the Mayor of London.

The Good Food for London 2015 report is published by London Food Link, an independent network of individuals, businesses and organisations working for better food in the capital, part of the charity Sustain. The report is supported by the Mayor of London and a range of partner organisations.

The report places Greenwich jointly at the top of a league table of London boroughs, with an 87% score for achievement in areas such as community food growing projects, good catering standards and promotion of breastfeeding. Greenwich’s commitment to the London Living Wage and its support for Fair Trade are also recognized in the accolade.

Cllr David Gardner (top right), the Royal Borough of Greenwich Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Public Health, said: “The Royal Borough is committed to making healthy and sustainable food available and affordable for everyone in the community and this award shows the great work we are achieving in Greenwich.

“It also recognizes the very strong partnership work that is taking place, with local schools, community groups and businesses in the forefront of some of the initiatives that are making a difference to how food is sourced, sold and consumed in the borough.

“Our campaign on better food is just one of the many ways we are supporting local residents, particularly those on low incomes.”

Much of the work in Greenwich is coordinated through the Good Food in Greenwich partnership, set up last year to promote ways to use healthy food and reduce waste and make Greenwich a more sustainable borough.

Schemes that are making a difference locally include shops that pass on their excess food rather than throwing it away, groups that grow food on housing estates and in school gardens, and caterers who have committed to using food from sustainable sources. The work by school meal caterers GS Plus to source food locally and to commit to serve only fish that is from sustainable sources is also making an important contribution.

The University of Greenwich has pledged to send zero waste to landfill, and the council has become the only London borough to win three awards from Compassion in World Farming. The council has also piloted a scheme separating food waste in a block of flats in Thamesmead.

Initiatives planned next year include a conference to explore ways of reducing the financial and environmental impact of the thousands of tonnes of food wasted every year, estimated to cost the average family £60 a month.