Aberdeen wins national good food award

19 July 2018

Aberdeen has become the first city in Scotland and one of just a handful of cities in the UK to win a prestigious Sustainable Food Cities award.

The award recognises the Sustainable Food City Partnership Aberdeen (SFCPA)’s work to promote healthy, sustainable and local food and to tackle some of today’s greatest social challenges, from food poverty, diet-related ill-health and lack of food skills, to the disappearance of family farms and the loss of independent food retailers.

The award was presented at an annual conference in Cardiff attended by representatives from more than 60 UK cities, all part of the UK-wide Sustainable Food Cities movement.

Food projects recognised by the award include projects from Aberdeen charity CFINE (Community Food Initiatives North East), The Allotment Market Stall (TAMS), Granite City Growing (an Aberdeen City Council food growing initiative) and many others.

The SFCPA formed to take a holistic approach to sustainable food activity and pulls together networks committed to making healthy and sustainable food a key characteristic of our city. Networks working with the SFCPA include: Food Poverty Action Aberdeen, Aberdeen Community Food Network, the Procurement Partnership Aberdeen and more.

Councillor Lesley Dunbar, Chair of the SFCPA said: “This is a huge achievement, and shows Aberdeen leading the way as the first Scottish city to achieve this award.

“The award recognises and celebrates the fantastic array of food-related work currently being done; drawing attention to the importance of good food and the impact it can make in our city; and represents a first step in our Sustainable Food Cities journey.”

Christopher Littlejohn, Deputy Director of Public Health, NHS Grampian said: “I am delighted to hear that the Sustainable Food City Partnership Aberdeen has achieved this award and would pay tribute to the hard work of everyone involved.

“It is vital that everyone is able to access healthy, sustainable and affordable food, as this is a basic necessity for health and wellbeing, and the work of the partnership is proving vital in helping to ensure this happens. NHSG Public Health looks forward to offering continued support to the work of the Partnership.”

Tom Andrews, Director of Sustainable Food Cities, said: “Aberdeen has shown just what can be achieved when creative and committed people work together. While there is still much to do and many challenges to overcome, the SFCPA has helped to set a benchmark for the other 50 members of the UK Sustainable Food Cities Network to follow and we look forward to working with them over the months and years ahead to transform Aberdeen’s food culture and food system for the better.”