Everyone can be part of the Food for Life Partnership

Together, we are revolutionising school meals, connecting young people with where their food comes from and inspiring families and communities to grow and cook food.
Over 3,600 schools signed up so far
140,000 people in the wider community are benefiting
Over 265,000 children eating Food for Life accredited meals every day
Farmers, caterers, schools, communities... Join the movement for a healthy, climate-friendly and vibrant food culture.
What you say…
"Being part of the Food for Life Partnership is the best initiative that we as a school have undertaken in the last 10 years. It isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about hands on experiences for the children which will stay with them for life. It gives the children skills which have disappeared over the last generation and prepares them for their future."
Penny Wetton, headteacher
Helpringham Primary School, Lincolnshire

Roast Dinner Day 2011

After the momentous success of last year’s Roast Dinner Day, you are invited to take part in the Food for Life Partnership’s second Roast Dinner Day celebration on 12 October 2011. Last year, 6,850 schools and 28 caterers took part in this event, serving over ONE MILLION roast dinners on the same day. Roast Dinner Day celebrates the work of the Cooks Network, schools and caterers, and engages parents and the local community.

If you would like to take part in Roast Dinner Day 2011 then sign-up online. The first 200 schools to sign up to the event will receive ten FREE garden trowels with thanks from Harfield Tableware.

Forton Primary School in Lancashire took part in last year’s Roast Dinner Day. Headteacher Paula Wells said, “It was very well received with lots of very pleased people saying how lovely it was to come in [to the school]. This is an event to show off the quality of our dinners and family style dining, where the older children help the younger ones, sitting down at the table together in a nice atmosphere with lovely, healthy food.”

Pass it on – Going for Bronze

Bronze awards events have been happening all around the country this year, recognising the hard work you are doing to transform food culture and attracting lots of local press to boot. Speaking at a Norfolk Bronze Awards Ceremony Will Clennell, a French teacher at Dereham Neatherd High School, said, ‘The Food for Life Partnership has changed my day-to-day life for the better. Lots and lots of pupils are reaping the benefits – getting their hands dirty as they follow the process from seed to plate.’ BBC Norfolk was so impressed with the 14 awarded Norfolk schools, they interviewed two schools on two separate prime time spots on the same day!
Read more about the Norfolk event
There is a North Yorkshire Bronze Awards Ceremony scheduled for 19 May, a Shropshire ceremony on 16 June and a Lincolnshire ceremony on 28 September. Keep in touch with your regional coordinator to find out if a Bronze Award Ceremony is happening near you and get those Bronze applications in to secure your place.
More details on how to organise a pass-it-on event at your school check out the Food for Life Partnership website

New resources

Eating to save the planet
Check out our two new short animated films aimed at secondary school students: 'Eating to Save the Planet' sets out why it's important to eat planet-friendly food, while 'Taking Care of Dinner' introduces the key differences in animal welfare on intensive and organic farms.
Watch the films

Tip of the Week
Sent to your email inbox every week, Tip of the Week is designed to help you tick off Bronze, Silver and Gold criteria and offers links to resources and case studies that are directly related to each criterion. These handy tips are also available on the website. If you would like to subscribe to Tip of the Week, email Karen Lindsay on klindsay@soilassociation.org
Access Tip of the Week online
 

Celebrity celebrations

Celebrity gardener and TV presenter Bob Flowerdew presented 15 schools in the Midlands with their prestigious Silver and Gold Awards on 30 March. Quoted in the Gainsborough News Rachel Ward, School Business Manager at White’s Wood Lane Junior School in Lincolnshire said, “This is not just another award. It is our way of embedding a deeper understanding about the importance of what children eat and how growing their own food can impact positively on them for the rest of their lives.’
Read more about the Midlands Awards Ceremony
Next up is the Northern Awards Ceremony to celebrate those schools in the North of England that have achieved Silver or Gold. Celebrity food writer and TV presenter Stefan Gates will be presenting these awards.

This season

Green pea dip
Try this simple but tasty recipe for green pea pâté, the perfect summery dip for vegetable sticks or toasted ciabatta.
Access the recipe online

Pest Watch
Warmer weather means pesky pests. Keep watch for colonies of green or blackfly. They are very fond of fresh new shoots and beneficial pest-eaters, such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies, are still not very active. To stop these pests from getting out of hand, squish them with your fingers (wear rubber gloves – it’s not so mucky!) so that when the predators come along they still have a food supply, and are not overwhelmed by the numbers. Nip off and bin any rolled up leaves, this is where pests can overwinter and breed, unseen and uncontrolled.
Growing resources online

Wild about wildlife
A visit to your local farm during the summer or autumn term can be an exciting opportunity to look at wildlife on farms and how organic farmers encourage certain wildlife onto their farms to help provide natural pest control for their crops. Explore the hedgerows and meadows with sweep nets and pieces of white sheet, using identification charts to discover what you have found. See our 'Hedgerow homes, hideaways and habitats' activity on p18 in our'Get on my land' activity pack.
Get involved with OMSCo's Hedgerow Safaris on selected farms across the country
 

Spread the word

Blog of the week
This term, the best blog each week will win a £10 voucher courtesy of Delfland Nurseries. Delfland has a special webpage dedicated to schools and offers ideas for plants that can be grown within the school term. Winning a voucher means you will be able to purchase some plants for free.
Login and update your blog

Case studies
Visiting farms increases self-esteem and broadens the curriculum
Find out how pupils at Humphrey Perkins High School in Leicestershire are benefiting from visits to the local farm.
Food education can equal a ‘career, a new skill and a social experience’
Fast food and hyped up – or lethargic – teenagers belong in history lessons at Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College, a Bronze and flagship school in Birmingham. Since joining the Partnership, students are busy cooking, making compost, growing and visiting farms, and one student is looking to pursue a career in landscape gardening.
For more case studies check out the website

Awards for schools taking learning out of the classroom

The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) has launched its fourth annual awards for ‘Excellence & Innovation’, and they are now open for nominations. There are five awards up for grabs, all of which recognise ‘the commitment of educational establishments providing valuable and positive learning experiences for young people (0-19) beyond the classroom’. Find out more on the LOtC website and fill out the online application form for your chance to win! The deadline for applications is Friday 27 May.