Warwickshire has taken an important step in tackling food poverty by developing a new plan to increase the availability of affordable food and empower communities to improve health outcomes and diets. A key event brought together stakeholders involved in the Warwickshire Food Strategy to assess the effectiveness of the outgoing strategy (2023-26) and gather input for the new two-year plan (2026-28). This updated plan will be presented to the Warwickshire Food Forum in April, with a public launch scheduled for June.
The new plan will focus on three strategic priorities. The first priority aims to improve affordability, helping residents facing food insecurity access healthier and more affordable food options through social supermarkets, community food projects, and other initiatives. The second priority involves educating and empowering community members through events such as Kind Community, Kind Food, and volunteer food champions. These efforts will help individuals make healthier food choices and develop skills for preparing nutritious meals. The third priority will promote locally sourced food and reduce food waste by supporting local suppliers and encouraging sustainable consumer behaviors.
Cllr Mike Bannister, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for customer and localities and Chair of the Warwickshire Food Forum, emphasized that the refreshed strategy will build on the lessons learned from the previous plan. He highlighted the importance of supporting families in the short term by making food more affordable and ensuring that grocery shopping stretches further. In the long term, the strategy aims to improve both mental and physical health outcomes, as well as educational outcomes, by fostering healthier diets.
The achievements of the 2023-26 Food Strategy include funding 72 community food projects with a £70,000 grant, distributing slow cookers and air fryers to families, and offering various food support programs, such as holiday activities, healthy start initiatives, and winter warm hubs. Cllr Bannister concluded that the strategy has made significant progress in building connections within communities that need support, and the new plan is informed by research and feedback from people working on the ground to maximize its impact over the next two years.
