Tag Archives: Food Hero of the Year 2019

News

The Caroline Walker Trust Announce Award Winners

The winners of The Caroline Walker Trust Awards 2019 were announced at a special presentation ceremony held on Tuesday evening, 12th November, at Chandos House, Royal Society of Medicine in London.

The Caroline Walker Trust Awards were “intended to highlight distinctive and outstanding work in promoting public health by maintaining and advancing standards of food and nutrition.  Traditionally the Caroline Walker Trust only offered four awards; however, over the years, these have changed to reflect the dynamic environment in which the Trust operates.” Anka Johnston, Chair of CWT. This year, the trust offered six awards, which also included a Lifetime Achievement award, Food Hero of the Year, Media Campaigner of the Year and Charity Food Campaigner of the Year.

CWT would like to congratulate all the winners and runners-up of the CWT Awards 2019.

Below are the award winners and runners-up for each category:

Charity Food Campaigner of the Year

Winner: City Harvest
Runner-up: One Feeds Two

Laura Winningham, CEO at City Harvest:
“City Harvest was extremely proud to join leaders in the field of food and public health at the 30th Anniversary Caroline Walker celebration and thrilled to receive an award for our work as a Charity Campaigner. We believe everyone is entitled to affordable, nourishing food and City Harvest have delivered healthy surplus food for more than 7 million meals to more than 300 charity partners serving vulnerable Londoners.”

Food Hero of the Year

Winner: Jason O’Rourke
Runner-up: Nutrition Scotland

Jason O’Rourke, Headteacher at Washingborough Academy:
“It was such an honour to be awarded the Caroline Walker Trust ‘Food Hero of The Year’ award in recognition of the Food Education work that we have developed at Washingborough Academy and also with the TastEd charity. Teaching children the skills and knowledge about the food that they eat and how their informed choices can have such an important effect on their future health and well-being is a vitally important area of any child’s education. Schools can have such a positive impact on children’s relationship with food and I would hope that this award inspires more schools to include Food Education into their curriculum.”

Media Food Campaigner of the Year

Winner: Sabine Goodwin
Runner-up: Early Start Nutrition

Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator at Independent Food Aid Network:
“I am very honoured indeed to be the winner of the CWT Media Campaigner of the Year Award. I’m grateful for the recognition of my work to raise awareness of the significance of independent food aid providers as well as the scale of growing food insecurity in the UK. Caroline Walker was an inspiring campaigner who cared passionately about the health implications of living in poverty. She would certainly have been appalled to find that millions of people in the UK are unable to afford to buy food let alone healthy and nutritious food.”

Nutritionist of the Year

Winner: Greg Lessons
Runner-up: Barbara Bray, MBE

Greg Lessons, Nutritionist at London Fire Brigade:
“I can’t thank the CWT enough for this incredible honour in recognition of my work for the London Fire Brigade. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way.”

Freelance Nutritionist of the Year

Winner: Laura Wyness
Runner-up: Shaleen Meelu

Laura Wyness, Freelance Registered Nutritionist based in Edinburgh:
“I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award from The Caroline Walker Trust.  The work and impact Caroline Walker made to public health nutrition has been very motivating for me in my nutrition career and I have found the resources produced by the Trust really useful in my work.  It is great to be recognised as a freelance nutritionist promoting the science behind healthy food and diets.”

The Caroline Walker Trust Lifetime Achievement Award

Professor Philip James

A special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Philip James who has supported the CWT since its inception and has made outstanding contributions to the nation’s food and health.

–ends—

Notes to the Editor

  1. For information on the background to the awards and how the result was arrived see: https://www.cwt.org.uk/cwt-announce-awards-short-list/
  2. The Caroline Walker Trust was founded in 1989 after the death of the distinguished nutritionist, writer and campaigner Caroline Walker. Established to continue her work and in her spirit, the CWT works tirelessly to promote the improvement of public health through good food. The work of CWT is particularly targeted towards vulnerable groups and people who need special help.
  1. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Trust and the theme for the evening is Affordable food: Affordable health. The speakers included Felicity Lawrence, Guardian Journalist; Peter Stefanovic, Social Injustice Campaigner and distinguished Lawyer; and Dan Crossley, Executive Director at the Food Ethics Council.
  1. The Caroline Walker Trust Logo:

  1. The Nutritionist of the Year award has been sponsored by the Nutrition Society nutritionsociety.org and the Association for Nutrition www.associationfornutrition.org
  2. The Nutrition Society of the UK and Ireland was established in 1941 and is one of the largest learned societies for nutrition in the world. With over 2,600 members internationally, the Society is dedicated to delivering its mission of advancing the scientific study of nutrition and its application to animal and human health. The Society disseminates and promotes nutrition science through its six journals and six textbooks, in addition to regularly organising CPD endorsed conferences and webinars. Working with universities, parliamentarians, industry representatives, academic researchers, and other membership organisations, the Society aims to create opportunities for building relationships that strengthen research and collaboration within the field. Membership is open to any individual with an interest in nutritional science.
  3. The Freelance Nutritionist of the Year award has been sponsored by SENSE and the Nutrition Society nutritionsociety.org                     
  4. SENSE is the original unique network for professional self-employed Registered Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians. It exists to provide members with professional development, support and advice. Founded in 1996 by Dr Margaret Ashwell as  ‘Self Employed Nutritionists’  Support and Enlightenment’. SENSE now has more than 70 members and a flourishing CPD programme of twice-yearly meetings. http://www.sense-nutrition.org.uk   
  5. The Association for Nutrition (AfN) holds the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN), a register of competent, qualified nutrition professionals who meet our rigorously applied standards for scientifically sound evidence-based nutrition and its use in practice.  The UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists is the only register of qualified nutritionists recognised by Public Health England, NHS Choices and NHS Careers                                                                                                     
  6. City Harvest has rescued over 7 million meals, collecting and delivering 80,000 meals a week from supermarkets, wholesale markets, manufacturers and the hospitality industry. Their trademark fleet of temperature-controlled vans delivers to over 300 London community programmes, including homeless shelters, mental health community projects, family centres, children’s’ programmes, and domestic abuse refuges. http://www.cityharvest.org.uk/
  1. Jason O’Rourke is the Headteacher at Washingborough Academy, Lincolnshire and the Founder of TastEd. Jason’s work with Washingborough Academy featured extensively in the Government’s 2016 Childhood Obesity Strategy and Plan for Action as best practice in food education and changing food cultures.  Jason’s school has also become the first in the country to receive the Gold Award from the Soil Association’s ‘Food for Life Served Here’ programme.  The School won the School Food Plan Award 2016.  It also was a finalist in the Times Education Supplement Healthy School of the Year award in 2016 and 2017. Jason is also the winner of the Educatering School food Plan Awards in 2016 and was invited to be a Headteacher advisor to the Government Department of Health and Social Care. washingboroughacademy.org and www.tasteeducation.com
  1. Sabine Goodwin was a television news and investigative journalist. Sabine now coordinates the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) and advocates on behalf of its members. Sabine is challenging the government on its policies towards poverty to eradicate food poverty. In 2017 Sabine created a database of independent food banks working across the UK, that highlighted how many food banks were outside the mainstream funded activities.  In addition to the Trussell Trust’s 1200 food banks, Sabine has discovered another 800 hidden food banks, making a total of 2000. Her research was first published in the Guardian in May 2017.  Since then, Sabine has raised the profile of independent food aid providers with the media, ministers, academics and other charities. Sabine works collaboratively with others, including running a joint project with ‘A Menu for Change’ to collate food parcel distribution data from Scottish independent food banks and with Sustain and other members of the End Hunger UK alliance to highlight food insecurity. Sabine also worked as the producer of Food Bank As It Is – a play depicting the reality of food banks.  Added to this Sabine is also now working independently of IFAN with Dr Rachel Loopstra at Kings College London undertaking research on independent food banks in England.
  1. Greg Lessons is a Nutritionist at the London Fire Brigade. Greg works with firefighters to develop personalised nutrition plans, helping them to make healthier food choices, and also holds food preparation master classes with firefighters across the capital.
  1. Dr Laura Wyness was a Senior Research Fellow for three years in the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, Edinburgh where she led a range of research projects to help companies reformulate or develop new healthier products. She now works as a Freelance Registered Nutritionist based in Edinburgh https://www.laurawyness.com/.
News

CWT announced shortlist for Food Hero of the Year Award

The Caroline Walker Trust (CWT) is delighted to announce the shortlist for CWT Awards 2019 Food Hero of the Year.  The award celebrates individuals who work to campaign to improve public health through good food.

The awards ceremony will be held on 12 November 2019 at the RSM Chandos House.  Professor Tim Lang, President of the CWT, will be presenting the award to the winner of each category.  Traditionally the Caroline Walker Trust has offered several awards.  This year, the Trust has introduced the award for Food Hero of the Year.

“Caroline Walker Trust awards are intended to highlight distinctive and outstanding work in promoting public health by maintaining and advancing standards of food and nutrition.  Traditionally the Caroline Walker only offered four awards; however, over the years, these have changed to reflect the dynamic environment in which the Trust operates,” remarked Anka Johnston, Chair of the CWT.

“This year, the Trust has offered six awards, which also includes a Lifetime Achievement award, Charity Food Campaigner of the Year, Media Food Campaigner of the Year, Nutritionist of the Year and Freelance Nutritionist of the Year.”

The official shortlist of the CWT 30th Anniversary Awards showcases the high calibre of individuals working in a variety of areas to improve the quality of our food and the nation’s diet.  The final shortlisted nominees for Food Hero of the Year comprised of Jason O’Rourke (Washingborough Academy), Suzanne Fletcher (Nutrition Scotland), Pascal Gerrard and Olivier Blanc (StreetCube), Lyndsey Withers (Plymouth Soup Run), and Stephen Colyer (The Fruit and Veg Kids).

“The aim is to highlight the great work of individuals, to support those who are continuing to make a difference while inspiring a new generation of food campaigners to do likewise,” said Anka Johnston, Chair of the CWT.

 “We’re delighted to be shortlisted for the CWT ‘Food Hero’ Award.  Food poverty and poor diet have serious long-term physical and psychological consequences for some families. By connecting evidence-based nutritional practice directly with those most in need, we can provide reliable, practical support that goes well beyond dietary guidelines” commented Suzanne Fletcher, RNutr and Founder of Nutrition Scotland.

 “If anyone deserves recognition for the (very often hidden) food, nutrition and health volunteering they tirelessly do to support vulnerable individuals, then it is Lyndsey – I am thrilled to see her being shortlisted for this award. Her efforts go beyond the call of duty, and she is an extraordinary human being who gives” states Dr Clare Pettinger, Lecturer Public Health Dietetics, University of Plymouth.

“Good food doesn’t have to cost the earth. StreetCube was opened by MasterChef Raymond Blanc and developed by sustainable chef Pascal Gerrard and Olivier Blanc to be 100% sustainable from the ground up; by up-cycling 10ft shipping containers converting them into professional, sustainable, semi-permanent, zero-emissions Street kitchens – where independent chefs can operate their own start-up sustainable food business,” commented Pascal Gerrard, Founder, StreetCube.

I feel very honoured to be nominated for CWT Award in the category “Food Hero”. It is great recognition of all the incredible work that goes on at Washingborough Academy to support Food Education, and also at an international level with the sensory food education carried out by the TastEd charity’ remarked Jason O’Rourke, Headteacher, Washingborough Academy.

“The Fruit and Veg Kids” have been created to greatly assist in addressing the ever-spiralling global Childhood Obesity epidemic via ‘Education through Entertainment – with Laughter not Lecture’. Our Campaign includes Songs, Music, Books, Animation, Stage Shows and Personal appearances to ensure maximum promotional opportunities that convey vital messages on Health”, commented Stephen Colyer, Founder of The Fruit and Veg Kids

CWT would like to congratulate all the shortlisted nominees and everyone who submitted nominations.  CWT would also like to thank the Judges for their hard work in drawing up the shortlist from a very impressive list of nominations.

–ends—

Notes to the Editor

  1. For information on the background to the awards and how the result was arrived see: https://www.cwt.org.uk/cwt-announce-awards-short-list/
  1. The Caroline Walker Trust was founded in 1989 after the death of the distinguished nutritionist, writer and campaigner Caroline Walker. Established to continue her work and in her spirit, the CWT works tirelessly to promote the improvement of public health through good food. The work of CWT is particularly targeted towards vulnerable groups and people who need special help.
  1. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Trust and the theme for the evening is Affordable food: Affordable health. The speakers included Felicity Lawrence, Guardian Journalist; Peter Stefanovic, Social Injustice Campaigner and distinguished Lawyer; and Dan Crossley, Executive Director at the Food Ethics Council.
  1. The Caroline Walker Trust Logo:
  1. Nutrition Scotland is a Social Enterprise in development, their aim is to improve health and wellbeing through improved access to a variety of nutritional services and information. Their services are designed and delivered by public health nutritionists and dietitians who believe in equal access to healthy food and reducing health inequalities. http://www.nutritionscotland.org/
  1. Jason O’Rourke is the Headteacher at Washingborough Academy, Lincolnshire and the Founder of TastEd. Jason’s work with Washingborough Academy featured extensively in the Government’s 2016 Childhood Obesity Strategy and Plan for Action as best practice in food education and changing food cultures.  Jason’s school has also become the first in the country to receive the Gold Award from the Soil Association’s ‘Food for Life Served Here’ programme.  The School won the School Food Plan Award 2016.  It also was a finalist in the Times Education Supplement Healthy School of the Year award in 2016 and 2017. Jason is also the winner of the Educatering School food Plan Awards in 2016 and was invited to be a Headteacher advisor to the Government Department of Health and Social Care. washingboroughacademy.org and www.tasteeducation.com 
  1. The Fruit and Veg Kids have been created to initially capture the imagination of children through entertainment, to then progressively engage them into the pattern of a healthy lifestyle with regular healthy eating and physical activities through the inspiration of these entertaining and colourful characters in a very simplistic approach. thefruitandvegkids.com @FruitAndVegKids
  2. Lyndsey Withers is a volunteer at the Plymouth Soup Run, the Shekinah homeless drop-in centre and drives homeless clients to the Plymouth Dental school and University Hospitals. She is also the past winner of the Salvation Army award for exceptional contributions to homeless services in 2015.  Her work is invaluable and makes a real difference to the lives of service users at Plymouth Soup Run, which connects with people who are impacted by food poverty and poverty of healthy social connections, information and access to services.
  1. StreetCube opened in May 2019 in Wandsworth SW London with the help of MasterChef Raymond Blanc. Every day, they serve hundreds of people with sustainable food, and also give out information about climate change and the effects of our food system on the environment. They are supported by a host of world-rebounded trusted advocates – people who are experts in sustainable food, climate change, nutrition, farming, organic food, chef training.
  1. The StreetCube project is a winning concept which aims to help transform food systems in every city to help cut CO2 and help reverse the effects of climate change effects from our food systems. By placing a cluster of StreetCube kitchens, the project can engage whole communities with more sustainable food ethos.
  1. Currently, our global, industrial food systems contribute more than 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The biggest driver of climate change is deforestation, the biggest driver of deforestation is the beef/burger industry. By empowering young chefs to take up a position as sustainable food champions, and by giving them a bright and beautiful sustainable Street kitchen from which to perform, we believe we really can change the world. One bite at a time.
  1. Zero emissions, zero-carbon professional, sustainable Street kitchens that allow passionate chefs to engage people with a more ‘sustainable’ form of Street food – has the potential to seriously change entire food systems. Engaging everyone with food that is better for people and the planet. Organic, local, nutritious, seasonal food which is cooked with passion and pride. StreetCube makes it all possible by providing professional semi-permanent Street kitchens that are affordable for young chefs to operate – whilst adhering to a set of principles that ultimately are more sustainable and beneficial for people and planet.