The Source

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:

1. Look at where they currently source from, produce a provenance map and discuss with suppliers.
2. Consider flexible menus that enable seasonal sourcing.
3. 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

1. Ashford & St Peters Hospital
2. Bradford Teaching Hospital
3. Christchurch Hospital
4. Countess of Chester NHS Hospital Trust
5. Darlington Memorial Hospital
6. Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
7. East Cheshire NHS Trust
8. Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust
9. Hawkhurst Community Hospital
10. James Paget University Hospital
11. Kettering Hospital
12. Manchester University Trust
13. Milton Keynes University Hospital
14. Musgrove Hospital
15. North Bristol NHS Trust
16. Northampton Healthcare Trust
17. Nottingham University Hospital
18. Oxford Health
19. Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital
20. Royal Bournemouth Hospital
21. Royal Devon University Hospital
22. Royal Free London
23. Royal Hallamshire Hospital
24. Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospital
25. Sheffield Teaching Hospital
26. Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital
27. Solent NHS Trust
28. Somerset NHS Trust
29. Southmead Hospital
30. South Tees Hospital
31. South West Yorkshire Trust
32. Stepping Hill Hospital
33. Stockport NHS Trust
34. Taunton Hospital 
35. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
36. Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospital

 N.Ireland

1. Causeway Hospital
2. Lagan Valley Hospital
3. Antrim Area Hospital
4. Downe Hospital
5. Ulster Hospital
6. Whiteabby Hospital
7. Gansha Hospital

NHS TRUSTS THAT HAVE ATTENDED LOVE BRITISH FOOD FARM VISITS

England

1. Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
2. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
3. East Cheshire NHS Trust
4. Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
5. Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust
6. James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
7. Kettering General Hospital
8. Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
9. Milton Keynes University Hospital
10. NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board
11. Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust
12. Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
13. Northampton General Hospital
14. North Bristol NHS Trust
15. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
16. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
17. Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
18. Royal Free London
19. Sandwell & Birmingham NHS Trust
20. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
21. Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
22. Solent NHS Trust
23. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
24. Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
25. South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
26. South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
27. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
28. The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
29. University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Wales

1. NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
2. Hywel Dda UHB
3. Velindre UHB
4. Wales NHS Confederation

Northern Ireland

1. Northern Health and Social Care Trust
2. South Eastern Trust
3. Western Trust