As Love British Food completes its 9th farm visit for NHS caterers, they launch a new film to inspire catering managers, procurement teams and Trust CEOs to consider the connection between how food is produced and its contribution to patient outcomes. The film was made at Holkham Estate in Norfolk where Alexia Robinson, Founder and CEO of Love British Food, led the most recent farm visit in the campaign’s programme to encourage NHS catering teams to consider British sourcing. Film: https://youtu.be/FWIJMYmySrI Love British Food has now hosted 43 hospitals from 36 NHS Trusts on farm visits. 193 people have attended these visits, but the message has reached far more as catering managers have gone back to their trusts to discuss the importance and role of British sourcing with their dietitian and procurement leads. Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder, commented: “We know it is not enough to ask catering teams to buy British. We need to explain why. So, the aim of these farm visits has been to enthuse catering teams to see ‘buying British’ as a ‘carrot’ rather than a ‘Buying Standards stick’ as I fear the perpetually consulted upon New Government Buying Standards make it sound. I genuinely believe these visits have created excitement about buying British in NHS catering teams. Together with the farmers who have hosted the visits with me, we have answered the question ‘Why buy British’ and explained how doing so contributes to patient outcomes, sustainability, net zero goals and Trusts’ role as anchor institutions for supporting their community. Love British Food has inspired caterers to think about the connection between how food is produced and its nutritional value and empowered those attending to go back into their Trusts and: Look at where they currently source from, produce a provenance map and discuss with suppliers. Consider flexible menus that enable seasonal sourcing. Discuss opportunities with their procurement teams and dietitians. I always describe Love British Food’s ethos as ‘inspiring change-makers’ and these visits epitomise this.” My yardstick of success is the comments of those who have attended the farm visits…’inspired, informed and empowered’ would be how I would summarise what they have all said. I think the debate about the public sector buying 50% British food and how it is defined is a fruitless exercise…. round and round in circles we go and the new Ministerial team will go as we have done for more than a decade. I believe to my core that there is a better way…inspiring, empowering and enabling catering teams, food service organisations and suppliers rather than issuing diktats.” Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review, National Lead for Net Zero Food: “The farm visit programme that Alexia has created for our teams has influenced and empowered those attending to go back into their Trusts and take actions, including, where they currently source their food and how to create flexible menus with seasonal products. Love British Food’s farm visits have opened up conversations and started to prepare the larger manufactures and distributors to work differently. Relationships are being built as a result and they changing the mentality and methodology in the attitude to buying British and working directly with the farming industry. Good food continues to be at the heart of our health and well-being, and the link between field and the plate never changes.” Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero Food Programme Manager: “The benefits from Love British Food’s farm visits may take time to show. When you plant a seed, you don’t get fruit that year or even next year. But what we are doing through the farm visit programme is planting seeds, raising the consciousness and highlighting the opportunities. This is as much for farmers and growers as caterers. Our aim is to have a more robust, transparent, sustainable British supply chain. This provides better outcomes for our patients and puts our hospitals at the heart of our communities. And Alexia’s work taking NHS catering teams round farms is a key part of achieving this.” Notes to Editor: Links to Films and further detail on the farm visits: Norfolk Farm Visit (Long): https://youtu.be/FWIJMYmySrI Norfolk Farm Visit (Short): https://youtu.be/mU5QReBUcRM Details of all farms visits: https://lovebritishfood.co.uk/farm-visits-for-caterers List of Love British Food Farm Visits for NHS caterers: Overbury Estate nr Tewkesbury, Feb 2022 Hollis Mead Organic Dairy, West Dorset, May 2022 Moor Farm, Hereford Beef, North Shropshire, May 2023 The Organic Pantry vegetable growers, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, May 2023 Farm Ed, regenerative farming demonstration centre, September 2023 Public Sector Influencers event: Hammonds End mixed farm, Hertfordshire, March 2024 Carraig Dubh Dexters Hammonds End Farm, Northern Ireland, May 2024 Holden Farm Dairy, Bwlchwernen Fawr, Lampeter, Wales, June 2024 Holkham Estate, June 2024 43 hospitals across 36 Trusts, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, have attended Love British Food’s Farm Visits: HOSPITALS THAT HAVE ATTENDED LOVE BRITISH FOOD FARM VISITS England Ashford & St Peters Hospital Bradford Teaching Hospital Christchurch Hospital Countess of Chester NHS Hospital Trust Darlington Memorial Hospital Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust East Cheshire NHS Trust Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust Hawkhurst Community Hospital James Paget University Hospital Kettering Hospital Manchester University Trust Milton Keynes University Hospital Musgrove Hospital North Bristol NHS Trust Northampton Healthcare Trust Nottingham University Hospital Oxford Health Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital Royal Bournemouth Hospital Royal Devon University Hospital Royal Free London Royal Hallamshire Hospital Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospital Sheffield Teaching Hospital Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital Solent NHS Trust Somerset NHS Trust Southmead Hospital South Tees Hospital South West Yorkshire Trust Stepping Hill Hospital Stockport NHS Trust Taunton Hospital The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospital N.Ireland Causeway Hospital Lagan Valley Hospital Antrim Area Hospital Downe Hospital Ulster Hospital Whiteabby Hospital Gansha Hospital  NHS TRUSTS THAT HAVE ATTENDED LOVE BRITISH FOOD FARM VISITS England Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East Cheshire NHS Trust Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Kettering General Hospital Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Northampton General Hospital North Bristol NHS Trust Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Royal Free London Sandwell & Birmingham NHS Trust Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust Solent NHS Trust Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Stockport NHS Foundation Trust The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust Wales NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership Hywel Dda UHB Velindre UHB Wales NHS Confederation Northern Ireland Northern Health and Social Care Trust South Eastern Trust Western Trust

As a Stakeholder and supporter of Love British Food, The Sustainable Restaurant Association shares insights into why the provenance of our food matters and how restaurants can celebrate the best of British food.

Love British Food organised the first ever meeting of public sector decision makers to discuss increasing the supply of British sourced food into UK public sector supply chains. The event took place on 20 th March in Hertfordshire at Hammonds End Farm, owned by Stuart Roberts.  Love British Food have produced a report detailing the key findings from this meeting, released today.  The key recommendations from the report include: To increase farmer understanding of the public sector as a customer and to encourage more farmers to view the public sector as a viable partner. A commitment to encourage and maintain progress where it has been made. Strengthen commitments to buy British in the new Government Buying Standards. Promote a higher level of understanding of the potential opportunities provided by the Crown Commercial Service buying system, the UK’s largest public procurement organisation. Encourage food service providers to include a ‘Buy British’ category in product listings. The discussion between the relevant stakeholders will continue through a new Love British Food podcast launching this month, with the approach detailed within this report framing future efforts. Love British Food will also continue to lead engagement with two more farm visits already planned for this year and will continue to engage with stakeholders through two industry working groups.  Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder: “In Britain we produce fantastic food. At our landmark meeting with public sector influencers, we gathered invaluable insights that have framed our report.  Encouraging a Buy British policy within the public sector is not only more sustainable, helping them to meet their targets on net zero, sustainability and social value but it will also give more people access to high quality, locally sourced British food.  We look forward to continuing to lead engagement within the public sector, with the final ambition of a principle for buyers to look carefully at their supply chains and to make British farmers the first food supplier of choice throughout the entire public sector.”  We will continue to work with decision makers in the public sector to make the ambitions within this report a reality.”  Stuart Roberts, cereal, beef and sheep farmer, Hammonds End Farm: “Love British Food has led the way for a long time in promoting British food and farming to the public sector. I am looking forward to working with them to share the true societal and environment value of buying British; and lead farmers to understand the commercial opportunity of supplying schools, hospitals and other institutions.”  Link to report: 

Love British Food’s ‘Public Sector Influencers’ event took place on March 20th at Hammonds End Farm in Hertfordshire, owned by former NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts. Aimed at connecting public sector decision makers with British food producers, farmers and suppliers. Attendees included Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England, Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero food programme manager at NHS England, Chair Public Sector Catering Alliance Matt White, TUCO, Sodexo, Brakes, Compass, OCS, and many more (full attendee list below). The group was given a tour of the farm, seeing everything that Stuart does to farm in a sustainable way that contributes to a beautiful environment and glorious biodiversity, thereby learning the value of making British food first supplier of choice. Everyone then gathered on straw bales in the barn for a wide-ranging discussion, led by public sector leaders, on everything from how farmers and suppliers can engage in the tendering process to the contribution of different farming systems to the nutritional value of food. The consensus was an agreement that the public sector is a hugely overlooked market for British farmers. A report is being prepared that will be distributed, with a new Love British Food podcast launching in April where the discussion with leading food service providers, suppliers, buyers and producers will continue. The agreed objectives from the event are as follows: - Inspire public sector providers to work with farmers and food producers to achieve robust supply chains of nutritious food. - Enhance understanding of exactly how farmers can supply the public sector. - Promote the public sector as a customer to encourage more farmers to invest in supplying it. - Explain to public sector caterers why buying from British farmers will help them meet their sustainability and net zero targets and deliver social value and the nutritious food they need.

Westminster Kingsway College is one of the largest further education colleges in central London with a diverse student body of around 14,000 learners.

Love British Food’s inaugural ‘Public Sector Influencers’ event on Wednesday 20th March is set to connect the most influential people in the public sector with British farmers, producers and suppliers. All major public sector providers are attending, for a day of frank discussion and shared sense of purpose. The public sector has the potential to be a huge customer for British farming, and this event will explain clearly and directly how farmers can sell into it. The aim is to agree a shared vision of what all involved in the supply chain, and those hoping to be involved, can aspire to. The event is taking place on Stuart Robert’s farm. Stuart is a cereal, beef and sheep farmer - he is one of the most well-known and passionate advocates for farming and consumer engagement. Stuart Roberts, cereal, beef and sheep farmer, Hammonds End farm, Hertfordshire and former NFU Deputy President: “Love British Food has led the way for a long time in promoting British food and farming to the public sector. I am delighted to host their public sector influencers event on my farm. I am looking forward to working with them to share the true societal and environment value of buying British; and lead farmers to understand the commercial opportunity of supplying schools, hospitals and other institutions.” Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England: “This is the first time that public sector leaders, providers, suppliers and farmers have gathered together to discuss the supply chain. Momentum is building as we in the public sector, want to buy more British food. I hope this event provides farmers the confidence to invest in supplying the public sector helping us, as buyers, to understand the true value of buying British. There will be plenty of frank discussions I am sure. What better place to have them, than on a farm. Thank you to Love British Food for organising.” Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder: “Everyone we work with in the public sector agrees that we are on the cusp of real change in the way food is procured. There is an increasingly shared vision and agreement that purchasing from British suppliers should be the aspiration for NHS Trusts, Local Authorities, schools, universities, care homes and other public institutions. All have targets to deliver on sustainability, net zero, the environment and, most important, the need to provide nutritional food to the young, the sick, the elderly, their staff and other members of the public. Interestingly, this aspiration has not been as widely communicated to our farmers and producers, many of whom do not view or understand the public sector as a customer. This event aims to go beyond talk of aspirations and the detail of government buying standards to a frank discussion on the nitty gritty reality of how we can all work together to deliver robust supply chains of quality food to the vast public sector. Love British Food has always been about delivering positive change for local communities across the UK. That means tangible benefits, where advantages are felt in farms, businesses and the wider local economy. Real change will be best achieved through showing caterers and influencers the benefits of buying British first-hand on a farm; and giving farmers the opportunity to explain to buyers what they, in turn, need from buyers in order to deliver. Meetings in dusty Westminster committee rooms, which have been discussing this since 2014!, have delivered little and the government buying standards remain in the long grass. Gathering such an array of established and influential names will take our activities with the public sector to the next level - our national programme of farm visits has already made waves, but we’re hopeful that this event will help to put food security on the map within all elements of the public sector. Public sector leaders can play their role - through sourcing more food from British farmers and producers. Helping to give them the confidence they need to invest and grow their business, ultimately delivering the domestic production capacity that we need to ensure our food security. An increasingly volatile global picture has had an impact on food supply chains that has not been fully appreciated by anyone at the heart of Government - we are aiming to change that.” ENDS Notes to the Editor: Love British Food farm visits, see the short film: https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/farm-visits Capacity if limited but if you are interested in attending, please email: alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk Love British Food has further public sector farm visits planned this year to: The Holkham Estate hosted by Jake Fiennes Wales hosted by Patrick Holden Attendees : Public Sector: Phil Shelly, NHS England Tim Radcliffe, NHS England and Director Love British Food Derek Wright, Blackpool Local Authority, LACA director and Director Love British Food Chair Public Sector Catering Alliance: Matt White Milton Keynes Hospital and Chair Love British Food Hospital and Care Catering Working Group: Frank Fiore TUCO: Jane Eve and Graeme Collie HCA: Iain Robertson HCA London SE: Rupi Valentine Sodexo: Militsa Pribetich-Gill Compass: Lone Middleton, Victoria Murray and Egle Cironkaite Brakes: Cathy Amos and James Armitage ISS: Ika Bobrowska NHS Supply: Kirstin Morris Caterforce: Tom Matthew OCS: Leigh Ashley Bon Culina: Colin Clarke Apetito: Lee Sheppard Aramark: Phil Quinn Producers: Yeo Valley: Bobby Houghton-Brown Potatoes: Nick Wright Dairy: Charles Goadby, Amy Eggleston and Michael Oakes AB Fruits: Roberto Bosco Organic beef, Derbyshire: Tom Sebire and Nicky Stonebridge Beef and lamb: Rob Pratt Lee Valley Growers Arable: Jamie Burrows Beef and cereals: Sarah Bell Dairy: Claire Daw Nuffield scholars studying public sector supply chains: Hannah Fraser and Tom Pearson Media: Farmers Guardian: Emily Ashworth PSC: David Foad Contract Catering: Henry Norman tbc Six Inches of Soil film producer and representing Cambridge Children’s hospital: Claire Mackenzie Agenda 10.30 Welcome and introduction  Overview of expectations of the day An on-farm working discussion on how public sector providers can work together with farmers and food producers to achieve robust supply chains of nutritious food Aim is to enhance understanding of exactly how farmers can supply the public sector; …and explain to public sector caterers why buying from British farmers will help them meet their sustainability and net zero targets and deliver the nutritious food they need. Outcome is to map the existing and potential supply chain opportunities; and help the British farming industry understand the public sector as customer so that more farmers invest in supplying them in the future. 11.00 Farm tour led by Stuart Roberts and Rob Pratt – answering the question ‘Why Buy British’ 1pm Lunch 1.30 Sector by sector discussion Farmers will be paired with a public sector lead to discuss the nitty gritty of the supply chain: NHS Supply and Frank Fiore : Michael Oakes, Stuart Roberts and Nick Wright (compered by Tim Radcliffe, NHS England) Derek Wright : Derbyshire beef, Claire Daw and Amy Eggleston (compered by Alexia Robinson, Love British Food) TUCO : Sarah Bell, Rob Pratt and Jamie Burrows (compered by Matt White, PSC Chair) what is possible, how does it work currently, how can it work better. who are the influencers in the supply chain making the key decisions on value and price. 3. 30 End

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