Refreshing the city’s Food Strategy Action Plan
The big issues we are addressing
Aim 1 - Champion healthy and sustainable food
Aim 3 - Nourish a vibrant, diverse and skilled community food sector
Aim 4 - Improve sustainability and security in urban, rural and marine food production
Aim 5 - Encourage a vibrant and sustainable food economy
Aim 6 - Transform catering and procurement and revitalise local food chains
Aim 7 - Become a food use not a food waste city
Appendix 1: List of those consulted
Appendix 2: Proposed model for tackling food insecurity in Brighton and Hove
Vision
Our vision is a city where everyone
has the opportunity to eat healthy food from sustainable sources which treats
those who produce it fairly. It is a city with a thriving local food economy
and a vibrant food culture, where residents know where their food comes from
and feel a connection to the people and the land and sea that provide it. It is
a place that respects and enjoys food, where everyone can cook nutritious meals
and many of us have the skills and opportunity to grow our own food. In this
city food is valued and shared. We eat food that is good for us and for the
planet and we waste less. Our public institutions play a key role in improving
the food system by providing healthy food from sustainable sources while
supporting our local farmers and producers.
Refreshing the city’s Food Strategy
Action Plan
Launched in 2006 the city’s food strategy action plan is refreshed every 5 years. Brighton and Hove has pioneered place-based food work, adopting a partnership approach to food in 2003. Part of the wider Sustainable Food Places movement, we were the first place to achieve Silver Sustainable Food City status in 2015 and the first to achieve Gold in 2021.
The process of refreshing the city’s food strategy action plan is overseen by the Food Strategy Expert Panel – a group of experts represented by business, academia, local government, the NHS, and the voluntary and community sector.
Led by evidence
The food strategy action plan was informed by a wide range of research and evidence. In March 2024, the University of Sussex Business School hosted an event where academics from Brighton and Sussex Universities Food Network (BSUFN) presented their research and helped inform the priority actions which would make the biggest impact.
The action plan was also informed by
recent research partnerships including:
Building
Back Better from Below - Harnessing Innovations in
Community Response and Intersectoral Collaboration for Health and Food Justice
Beyond the Covid-19 Pandemic
Food
Systems Equality - Co-developing new
products, new supply chains and new policy frameworks that deliver an
affordable, attractive, healthy and sustainable diet.
Cultivate Programme - Helping cities navigate towards resilient and sustainable food
sharing
Green
Wellbeing Alliance evaluation report
Community-based circular food initiatives and continuous
productive urban landscapes – The role of community initiatives in scaling and
place-making for systemic change’.
NHS
Health Inequalities Project - Understanding the
experiences of people living with long term health conditions and disabilities
in their ability to access they food they need to be well.
Emergency
food access research project: Food access needs
of Black and Racially Minoritised communities and Refugee and Asylum seekers.
Consultative approach
Around 250 experts and members of the public were consulted on their priorities for the action plan. This included six city-wide engagement events focussing on: the food system; food and climate change; a more preventative approach to food insecurity; school meals; access to and consumption of fruit and vegetables, and public sector catering. We also used the recent work of our community researchers, individuals who are trained to conduct research in their own community. Over the past two years, they have been consulting people with lived experience of food insecurity.
The feedback from all the consultations, along with the data and evidence reviewed, were summarised into priority themes and used to inform the action plan. A full list of those consulted can be found at the end of this report in appendix I.
The big issues we are addressing
The past five years have been turbulent, to say the least. The withdrawal from the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic and the War in Ukraine have meant big shocks to our food system, which is increasingly susceptible to climate change. The food system has also seen more focus and scrutiny, with the publication of the Government commissioned National Food Strategy, led by Henry Dimbleby. The following gives a summary of the context in Brighton and Hove.
Diet
related ill health
While life expectancy has been steady, people are now living longer in poor health. Only 38% of adults in the city consume five or more portions or fruit and vegetables per day and one in three 11-year-olds are obese or overweight (up to two out of three in some schools). Obesity costs the NHS around £6.5 billion a year and is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer.
Food that’s high in fat, salt and sugar is often more
readily available and cheaper than healthier options and eating this kind of
food regularly can cause obesity and other health problems. Parts of Moulsecoomb,
Bevendean, Woodingdean, Whitehawk, Kemptown, Queens Park and Hangleton are in
the top 20% of places in England with food desert characteristics – a mixture
of low incomes, poor access to transport, and a limited number of food
retailers providing fresh produce and healthy groceries for affordable prices.
Food poverty and inequalities
Sadly, food poverty has soared since the last action plan was published, exacerbated by the Cost-of-Living crisis. The 358 food parcels issued per week in 2018 seems tiny compared with 6,300 people reliant on emergency food provision each week in 2024 [BHFP Emergency Food Survey, 2024]. 1 in 4 children in the city (12,876) are living in poverty after household costs compared with an average of 1 in 3 across England. A higher percentage of our residents aged over 60 are living in income deprivation (17.8%) compared with the England average (14%).
The
climate and biodiversity crisis
Our food system is one of the biggest drivers of the climate and biodiversity crisis, so it is key that we only produce food that is needed with minimal impact on the environment. Between 8 - 10% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if we stop wasting food. Households in Brighton and Hove waste more than 21,000 tonnes of food and drink per year, around a third of residual household waste. The vast majority of this was avoidable and more than half of the food wasted never left its wrapping. [BHCC’s Waste Composition Analysis, 2022]. Brighton & Hove’s Circular Economy Route Map has a key target to halve food waste in the city by 2030.
The rapid global growth in industrialised meat and dairy production has led to the destruction of vast areas of forests, grasslands and wetlands to produce animal feed and has accelerated the climate and biodiversity crisis. Of all the mammals on Earth, 96% are livestock and humans, only 4% are wild mammals. If we are to meet our city’s Net Zero and other environmental targets we must reduce our meat and dairy consumption and invest in a more localised and sustainable food system. The unique chalk downland surrounding our city has been shaped by animal grazing for centuries and is one of the most biodiverse landscapes in Europe. But less than 10% of the ancient chalkland survives. However, if carefully managed, grazing sheep and cattle on this landscape encourages biodiversity of wildlife & plants, reduces the use of chemicals, improves the soil quality (encouraging carbon capture) and supports the fragile chalklands, which for decades have filtered and protected our water supply.
Economic factors
Brighton and Hove has one of the lowest levels of housing affordability of all UK cities. For an individual earning an average income and renting a one-bed flat; most parts of the city would take up more than 30% of their pay. Overall wages have not kept pace with inflation in recent years, which means residents are on average £2,000 worse off in real terms per year than they were in 2011. Almost 1 in 10 of the city’s residents earn below the national living wage. [Brighton and Hove Economic Plan, 2024-2027]
Social Isolation
We have more people living alone in Brighton and
Hove (35% of households), compared with the South East (28%) and England (30%).
Food Security
Brighton and Hove City Council owns 13,000 acres of farmland (most in the South Downs National Park), yet very little of this is used to produce food for the city.
The UK imports about 40% of its food. We are most reliant on imports of fruit and vegetables, producing only 17% and 55% respectively of what we consume. The impact of Brexit, supply chain disruptions, rising fuel prices and labour shortages have all impacted food prices. The Food Foundation’s report Food Prices Tracker 2024 found that while the cost of a basket of food had risen by about 25% in the past 2 years, the cost of the veg in the basket had risen by 39% on average, with some items like carrots increasing by as much as 150%, pricing many people out of a healthy diet. Local food systems help local economies to thrive. Research by the New Economics Foundation and Growing Communities estimated that every £1 spent in their local veg box scheme generated £3.70 of value for customers, local farmers and the planet.
Our achievements
Championing Healthy Sustainable Food
Through the city’s Green Wellbeing Alliance, 1,601 residents with complex needs were able to access food growing and nature, improving their physical activity (30%), wellbeing (50%), and social networks (40%). [GWA evaluation 2024]
We continue to buck the national trend on childhood obesity. 31.6% of Year 6 children are overweight or obese compared with England 36.6% for England. [NCMP data 2022/23]
Breast feeding rates in the city remain 20% higher
than national rates.
The ‘Taste Ed’ programme is being
piloted in early years settings to promote consumption of fresh fruit and veg.
Healthy Start bitesize sessions were delivered to ~ 70 professionals across the city to increase take up.
BHFP opened the Community Kitchen providing more than 1000 community cookery sessions, including 1000 children and young people.
The City Downland Estate Plan is encouraging regenerative farming practices in order to increase soil health and biodiversity, cut carbon emissions and food miles.
Transforming
catering and procurement
Primary school meals have reduced meat from five days per week to three.
Hospitals in Brighton have switched meat dishes from beef to more sustainable chicken, have improved menus for dementia patients and implemented “mealtimes matter” where staff leave the wards so that patients can eat their meals without intrusion.
The Council’s Good Food Standards for all council catering contracts were updated to Soil Association Food for Life Silver.
A
vibrant and sustainable food economy
Diversity, independence and innovation is essential for a sustainable and healthy food system. As a city we have:
· A thriving restaurant scene, bringing money to our local economy and providing a market for local and sustainable produce.
· Access to great quality, local produce thanks to enterprises such as The Sussex Peasant, Florence Road Market, Infinity Foods, Park Farm Shop, Sheep Share and Sussex Grazed.
· Promoted and celebrated good food through Visit Brighton, Restaurants Brighton’s Bravo awards and events such as Apple Day, Stanmer Organics open day and Seedy Sunday.
A food use not a food waste city
There are now 55 community composting schemes serving 1200 households, turning 187 tonnes of food waste into high quality compost for local food growing.
Tackling inequality and social
isolation
Nearly
a thousand employers have signed up to the Brighton
Living Wage campaign raising the salaries of
almost 5,000 people
Brighton and Hove is a thriving hub of community cafes, lunch clubs and shared meals services which help to tackle social isolation, provide activities, support and advice as well as a nutritious, affordable meals.
Embedding change
Policy is key in ensuring real and lasting change. As a city we have embedded food into major local policy documents, including the City Plan, the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Economic Plan, the Cost-of-Living Action Plan and anti-poverty approach, the Anti-racism Strategy, the Circular Economy Route Map, and the City Downland Estate Plan.
Leading the way
As a city we:
· Became the first Gold Sustainable Food Place in the UK
· Developed the City Downland Estate Plan to protect and enhance the 13,000 acres of chalk download that surrounds Brighton & Hove.
· Are developing the Greater Brighton Food Plan.
· Are a signatory city in the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration.
· Are developing a whole-city approach to healthy weight
Summary of the main
themes
The themes emerging from the consultations, data
and evidence are summarised here.
· We need a better food environment where healthy food is affordable and available to all.
·
People
want to maximise food growing in the city but lack access to land and skills. A
more radical approach is needed such as ‘a right to grow’.
·
Large
caterers and food businesses have the power to transform food systems –
relatively small changes here can have a bigger impact.
·
Tackling
food insecurity and reducing inequalities within the food system is a key
priority. We need to transform the current crisis-based food bank model and move
to a preventative one that includes better access to advice, help to maximise
incomes and other support that prevents the need for food banks.
·
Food
needs to be prioritised in schools to give children a better start – a whole-school
food policy or approach is required.
·
People
want more local, sustainable food but growers and producers need the
infrastructure, land and routes to market to enable this.
· As well as reducing food (and packaging waste) we need to think ‘circular’ and invest in the power of composting to grow food and replenish our much-depleted soils
Draft Food Strategy Actions
Aim 1 - Champion healthy and sustainable food
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|||
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
1 |
Prevent
diet-related ill health ·
Continue
to deliver and expand the Healthy Weight work across the city · Promote city-wide healthy eating campaigns such as Sugar Smart and Veg Power
|
Public Health; Chair of Healthy Weight Programme Board
Public Health; Supported by NHS, BHCC Families Children and Learning |
NCMP data; numbers of people completing Tier 2 weight management service; Safe and Well at School Survey (fruit and veg consumption); Health Counts Survey
|
|
2 |
Tackle risk of malnutrition, under-nutrition and dehydration in older people and people with disabilities through better training, social care assessments, hospital discharge plans and delivered meal services
Promote healthy food as part of hospital discharge plans where applicable |
Ageing Well Partnership; Possability People Hospital Discharge Team
NHS Sussex |
Data from training, social care assessments, hospital discharge plans and delivered meal services |
|
3 |
Promote breastfeeding in the city and focus resources in the areas of the city with the lowest breastfeeding rates |
Public Health; Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Infant Feeding Lead |
Breastfeeding rates by city area |
|
4 |
Produce
a spatial food map of the city to identify: · Communities with poor / limited access to healthy food · Potential spaces for community food growing, market gardens and productive urban landscapes · Areas where community food projects could be linked, replicated or scaled up to create healthy food environments ·
Areas that could benefit from food hubs,
pantries, food waste composting etc. |
Public Health; BHFP |
Spatial map produced |
|
5 |
Develop
a Whole School approach to food: ·
Review
and align the support offered to schools around food and ensure this is
coordinated by an embedded, schools-based role ·
Align
this with the whole school approach to sustainability, the school climate
leaders and school food ambassadors |
Public Health; BHFP
|
Funding secured for a schools-based lead officer
School food action plan in place
School leaders actively championing food and each school has a food ambassador
Cooking/food tech on the curriculum
Taste Ed rolled out to primary schools
More schools have on site growing and composting
More school visits to farms |
|
6 |
Further develop plans to support families to access healthy and sustainable food options across Family Hubs including:
· Access to affordable food schemes
· Provide 1-1 Cost of Living interventions through Family Hubs to include information and advice around healthy and sustainable eating
· Develop community growing gardens using outside spaces
|
Whitehawk Family Hub
All Family Hubs
All Family Hubs; BHFP; Plot 22 |
No of families attending the scheme
No of families supported and reporting better outcomes at evaluation
Gardens planned and in use, no of families attending and reporting better outcomes at evaluation |
|
7 |
Define the next steps on restricting advertising of HFSS foods – For example use council owned advertising to promote healthier, sustainable food and environments |
Public Health; Transport |
Delivery of agreed next steps |
|
8 |
Target these opportunities at groups that would most benefit e.g. therapeutic outdoor activity for people with mental health issues |
Green Wellbeing Alliance Members
Neighbourhood-based community food projects (e.g. gardening groups, meal sharing initiatives; affordable food schemes)
[Supported by The National Trust; South Downs National Park Nature Access Network; The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere]
|
Bi-annual survey of community food organisations (BHFP) |
Aim 2 - Take a preventative upstream approach to food
poverty and ensure equal access to healthy food
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
Strengthen
the nutritional safety net for children and young people by: ·
Maximising enrolment / take up of free school
meals ·
Exploring options for direct consent so parents
get additional information and support when applying for Free School Meals
and Holiday Activities and Food Programme · Improve take up of Healthy Start vouchers |
BHCC School Meals Team Manager; Welfare, Revenues and Business Support (WRBS) Team;
BHCC School Meals Team Manager
Public Health; Family Hubs; Families Children and Learning
|
Improved take up rates
Reduction in number of people presenting at food banks from annual EFN survey
|
|
|
10 |
Work
with members of the Emergency Food Network to develop the city’s food banks
into a more preventative, area-based food hub model with streamlined referral
routes, wraparound support services and ladders to food security. Ensure
that support offered is cash first where possible, that food provided is
culturally appropriate, accessible and provided in ways that promote dignity and inclusion.
|
BHFP; Members of the Emergency/ Affordable Food Network; Citizens Advice Brighton and Hove |
Reduction
in the number of people presenting at food banks (through the EFN survey) Clearer, more consistent signposting and referral pathways fewer gaps in provision
Evidence of food ladders in operation
|
|
11 |
Ensure the limited support available is effectively targeted at those most vulnerable in the city, using data from the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT), the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the annual Emergency Food Network Survey, the Brighton and Hove Child Poverty Briefing and research on the food needs of those with protected characteristics, including responding to the Bridging Change report.
Note: Public Health to request a JSNA
deep dive on food insecurity in the city linked to healthy places/map). Research includes https://bhfood.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emergency-Food-Access-Final-report-updated04042024.pdf, Bridging Change’s report into the Emergency Food
Access Needs of Black and Racially Minoritised Communities, Refugees and Asylum Seekers ; the
NHS Health Inequalities Project on the food needs of people with disabilities and long-term health
issues.
|
BHCC and all delivery partners |
Increased use of city data to target support available effectively e.g. reports, funding bids, research proposals |
Aim
3 - Nourish a vibrant, diverse and skilled community food sector
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|
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
·
Ensure all areas of the city have access to cookery
classes and cook and eat groups and target them at those with low skills or
confidence or who would benefit most from social interaction · Provide access to cookery equipment from welfare and other funds such as Local Social Discretionary Fund (LDSF) and Household Support Funding (HSF)
|
BHFP; Public Health; Community Kitchen
Neighbourhood-based community organisations and those supporting communities of interest |
Increase in number of cookery classes and cook and eat groups; all areas of the city covered
Bi-annual survey of community food organisations (BHFP)
|
|
|
13 |
Be the city that eats together
· Support and enable community-based shared meal projects (places that tackle social isolation as well as provide a nutritious, affordable meal) to thrive.
·
Explore ways for projects to maximise their
impact and reach through better linkages, opportunities for scaling up,
access to funding, resources, training etc. · Promote opportunities to volunteer / support the 200+ community food initiatives (e.g food growing, shared meals, nature access, emergency and affordable food) |
BHFP; Community shared meal projects [eg The Real Junk Food Project, Food and Friendship, Hop 50+, Chomp, Brighton Unemployed Families Centre]
BHFP; BHCC Economic Development; Trust for Developing Communities |
Community food sector survey |
|
Aim 4 - Improve sustainability and security in urban, rural and marine food production
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|
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
14 |
Develop
‘Edible Brighton and Hove’ ·
Implement a ‘Right
To Grow’ policy and pilot this in at least one
neighbourhood to assess how this could be scaled up
·
Implement
the Open Spaces Strategy to maximise food growing and create a working group
to oversee progress through joint working with Brighton and Hove Allotment
Federation and BHCC Allotments to deliver allotment regeneration. · Monitor all major planning developments for food growing and evaluate long-term impact
·
Create
a prototype ‘edible neighbourhood’ or forest garden which could inspire new
building developments and be replicated in other areas ·
Develop
interest and skills around food growing through schools, community growing
schemes and events such as Seedy Sunday · Develop a feasibility study for a beacon farm in Brighton & Hove that would be a centre for good practice, inspiration and education on sustainable food production and opportunities for public engagement |
BHCC Cityparks; BHCC Allotments Manager
BHCC Planning
Cultivate
project; BHCC Planning
BHCC CDE Programme Manager; BHCC Stanmer Estate Manager; BHFP LUP Project Manager |
Increase in land actively used for food growing;
Increase in numbers of people growing food in all parts of the city
A space is created to increase public understanding of sustainable food production methods, nature friendly farming, and environmental impact of food choices
|
|
15 |
Implement
a landscape
scale model for climate and nature friendly agriculture,
demonstrating partnership between the city council, farmers, nature
conservation interests and other stakeholders. This includes: · Identifying suitable land for local food growers
· Implementing a conservation grazing hub model with routes into a locally branded meat supply chain
·
Implementing farmer-led training on conservation
grazing and sustainable farming on the Downs · Facilitating and supporting farmers to work collaboratively at a landscape scale
|
BHCC CDE Programme Manager; BHFP Land Use Plus Project Manager
|
Increase in biodiversity, including quality chalk grassland, across the CDE
Increase in small scale and community horticulture across the City and Downland Estate
Marginal and City Park land is grazed appropriately, leading to an improvement in quality
Increase in the number of conservation grazing animals entering the local food system
Increase in number of CDE tenant farmers switching to more regenerative farming methods
Land Use is considered and discussed at a landscape rather than individual farm scale |
|
16 |
Develop the infrastructure, supply chains, financing and purchasing decisions required to support a local, regenerative food system in the long term
·
In collaboration with neighbouring local
authorities develop business cases and seek investment in local food
infrastructure, most pressingly ensuring the future of a local abattoir and
investment in a livestock market
|
BHFP LUP Project Manager BHCC; Sussex local authorities;
|
Appropriate funding streams identified and funding is secured |
Aim 5 - Encourage a vibrant and sustainable food economy
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
17 |
Encourage and incentivise food businesses to improve sustainability through ‘The Restaurant Sustainability Toolkit’ supported by the University of Brighton and Restaurants Brighton.
|
University of Brighton; Restaurants Brighton |
Indicators developed by the University of Brighton |
|
18 |
Develop
a model for a community-led and local SME based food system which supports
food resilience, financial viability for producers, and access to food and
nature for disadvantaged communities · Establish the Clubhouse at Waterhall as a hub for learning about nature-friendly farming and local food and as a venue for nature access for disadvantaged communities.
|
BHFP LUP Project Manager
BHFP; Supported by BHCC Rangers |
Learning hub established |
|
19 |
Provide
relevant skills and business support for local SME food businesses which
includes environmental sustainability · Work with employers and further education providers to host a round table event in 2025 to explore ways that the food and hospitality industries which employ 14% of the local workforce can source skilled employees and promote careers in hospitality to young people
|
BHCC; Curriculum Vice Principal Plumpton College; Teaching & Learning Lead - Hospitality & Catering Brighton MET
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Round table event evaluation |
Aim 6 - Transform catering and procurement and revitalise local food chains
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|
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
20 |
All
caterers in the city to: ·
adopt (at minimum) BHCC’s Good
Food Standards ·
provide at least one dish on the daily menu
which is healthy, low cost and environmentally sustainable and branded in
such a way as to be recognizable across the city – e.g. the Brighton Meal
Deal ·
reduce consumption of meat by 30% and ensure all
meat served conforms to UK animal welfare standards · take action to reduce-redistribute-recycle food waste and packaging and measure progress annually
|
Good Food Procurement Group |
Caterers survey produced by BHCC
|
|
21 |
Increase the number of small and medium sized food businesses participating in public procurement
|
Good Food Procurement Group; Land Use Plus Project |
Number of SMEs able to access public sector food contracts such as schools, universities, colleges and care homes. |
|
22 |
Update and monitor BHCC’s Good Food Standards to ensure compliance by catering contracts, city events, street food traders and food businesses operating on council premises
|
BHCC Food Policy Coordinator |
More city caterers and food businesses are using the standards in food procurement and catering practices |
Aim 7 - Become a food use not a food waste city
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|||
|
|
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
23 |
Collaborate with citizens, community groups and schools to reduce food & packaging waste |
Food Use Places Project and Partners |
Progress reports |
|
24 |
Implement
a domestic food waste collection and recycling service in the city. As part
of implementation ensure that messages prioritise reduction over reuse and
recycling and promote home and local composting options |
BHCC; Cityclean
|
No of households with food waste collections Volume of food waste collected over time. |
|
25 |
Expand
food waste collection and recycling service to all schools in the city
|
BHCC; Brighton and Hove Schools
|
No of schools with food waste collections |
|
26 |
Support
and expand opportunities to compost as close to the source of food waste as
possible to minimise carbon associated with transport, support the city’s
circular economy and maximise food growing. To include: · Community composting for residents (wooden box schemes) · Community venues using compost tumblers · Local collection eg compost club · How to compost at home
|
Food Use Places Project; Supported by BHCC CityClean; Compost Club |
Volume of food waste composted and used for local food growing. |
Aim 8 - Ensure healthy, sustainable, fair food is embedded in policy and planning, and has a high profile right across the city.
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Lead organisation (role) |
How impact will be measured |
|
27 |
Building
on the devolution opportunities, deliver a Regional Food Plan in
collaboration with neighbouring authorities. Include food security in
resilience planning to reduce the impacts of climate change, rising food and
energy prices and potential disruption to global supply chains. |
Greater Brighton Economic Board |
Food plan produced and approved |
|
28 |
Continue to develop partnerships with universities, businesses and enterprises to ensure food policy is informed and supported by the latest research and technological innovations |
BHFP; BHCC Food Policy Coordinator |
Policies are evidence-based, supported by peer reviewed research/data and informed by best practice that has been robustly evaluated.
University partnerships help secure investment in the local food system. |
|
29 |
Use up to date evidence to ensure health and social care commissioners understand the importance of food activities and skills to health and wellbeing outcomes. This includes access to food growing, support around cooking and nutrition and connecting with nature.
|
BHFP |
Track outcomes on food growing, cookery and access to nature activities. |
|
30 |
Explore green finance and investment opportunities for the city’s food work
|
BHFP; BHCC |
More investment secured |
|
31 |
Maintain the city’s whole food systems approach, supporting BHFP to act as a connector for different parts of the food system to ensure broad participation and a high profile.
· Maintain Brighton & Hove’s national and international lead in taking a place- based approach to food · Secure ongoing funding for BHFP’s work · Be an active member of the Sustainable Food Places network. Share learning with other cities and organisations. · Submit evidence to national consultations and parliamentary enquiries, participate in national campaigns · Expand on our Gold Food City Status
|
BHFP; BHCC; Food Strategy Expert Panel
|
More funding secured for whole systems food work in the city.
|
|
32 |
Ensure food work is embedded in Net Zero action plans
|
Food Strategy Expert Panel |
TBC |
Appendix 1: List of those consulted
Members of the public were consulted through the following city-wide events:
- BHFP & Free University Brighton’s course ‘From Farm to Fork: An introduction to food systems’, Jan-March 2024
· Climate Change: BH public event: ‘How to reduce the climate change impact of food in Brighton and Hove’. 29 February 2024.
· Beyond Food Banks: A more preventative approach to food support. 24 April, 2024.
· Secondary school students from Dorothy Stringer & Hove Park (consultation on school meals). 19 June 2024.
· FoodSEqual research: Food Policy Brief; Surveying members of the public on their access to and consumption of fruit and vegetables 29 June 2024.
· Good Food Procurement Group. 17 July, 2024
· BHFP’s Annual General Meeting 1 October, 2024
The
following experts and organisations were consulted:
· BHCC Public Health team
· Brighton and Hove’s Healthy Weight Programme Board
· BHCC Food Policy Coordinator
· BHCC Senior Planning Officer
· NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board
· Brighton and Hove’s Surplus Food Network
· Brighton and Hove’s Emergency Food Network
· BHCC’s Holiday Activity and Food Programme
· Restaurants Brighton
· B&H Economic Plan stakeholder consultation
· Good Food Procurement Group members (network of city caterers),
· Fork & Dig It Community Supported Agriculture
· Brighton & Sussex University Food Network (BSUFN)
· Brighton and Hove Allotment Federation (BHAF)
· Brighton and Hove Organic Gardening Group (BHOGG)
· Brighton and Hove Allotments Manager
· BHCC Cityclean
· Food Matters
· Community Works
· Trust for Developing Communities
· Brighton and Hove Energy Services Cooperative (BHESCo)
· Brighton Metropolitan College Teaching & Learning Lead – Hospitality & Catering
·
The
Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere
Appendix 2: Proposed model for
tackling food insecurity in Brighton and Hove
