Aberdeen has become the first city in Scotland to win a prestigious Sustainable Food Cities award.
The award recognises Aberdeen-based charity Community Food Initiative North East (CFINE)’s Sustainable Food City Partnership Aberdeen (SFCPA)’s work to promote healthy, sustainable and local food.
The team have been trying to tackle some of today’s greatest social challenges, from food poverty, diet-related ill-health and lack of food skills, by running cookery training sessions and handing out thousands of food parcels throughout the city.
Food projects also recognised by the Bronze award includes The Allotment Market Stall, Granite City Growing – an Aberdeen City Council food growing initiative, and many others.
Chief executive for Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) Dave Simmers last night said he was “delighted” to have received the award, and added: “It’s all down to the hard work of our coordinator Laura Penny.
“She has done a fabulous job. It’s all about being sustainable and going forward we are hoping to work towards gaining the Silver award.
“We have given away more than 15,000 food parcels in the last year, which is 5,000 more than the previous year.
“It’s a dramatic increase and we anticipate it going up again once the Universal Credit Scheme is rolled out across Aberdeen in October.
“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.”
The award was presented at an annual conference in Cardiff earlier this week.
Councillor Lesley Dunbar, Chairwoman of the SFCPA welcomed the news and 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.”
Director of Sustainable Food Cities, Tom Andrews also praised the team and said it “shows just what can be achieved”.