“This year we have a special focus on food in schools and hospitals. Local authority school caterers and NHS catering teams have been working all year towards putting nutritional, seasonal, British-sourced menus on pupil and patient plates. Hundreds are expected to take part.
“For many of the children being served, it will not only be their only hot meal of the day, but the only meal of the day. And for patients recovering in hospital, we want to demonstrate that healthy hospital food needs prioritising as it helps patients recover quicker thereby freeing up hospital beds when the NHS is under pressure.
“The event is also being used to highlight the need for robust, short supply chains – particularly in the public sector that buys £2.6bn of food every year.
“With uncertainty of supply as a result of the war in Ukraine, we have been working hard to inspire and enable the public sector to source directly from British farmers and producers and, in doing so, to create strong domestic opportunities for our farming sector.”
She said there were lots of fun activities planned too, including food festivals in many counties across the country.
There will also be the annual National Harvest service taking place on September 25th at Chester Cathedral, where the Harvest Torch that has toured the country since being blessed in Westminster Abbey in 2013 has just arrived. HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is supporting the celebrations.
Major foodservice suppliers such as Brakes and Premier Foods, catering operators like ISS as well as the British Poultry Council and Thatcher’s Cider have all pledged to support the fortnight’s activities.
Anyone wanting to get involved should visit: https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk or search for @LoveBritishFood on social media.