Health and wellbeing
Walsall Food Partnership highlights local action to support healthy eating in schools and communities
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Walsall’s Food Partnership is highlighting the work taking place across the borough to support healthy eating among children and young people.
As updated school food standards are due to come into effect nationally from September 2027, partners across Walsall are continuing to work with schools to improve access to healthy, nutritious food. This supports the ambitions of Feeding Walsall's Future: The Food Plan 2025-2030, which aims to help people eat well and improve their wellbeing across the borough.
The recent Food for Life Served Here Bronze certification, achieved by Walsall Council's catering team, recognises its commitment to providing nutritious, high-quality school meals to 35 primary schools across the borough, which complies with the Government’s food and nutrition standards. This helps ensure that thousands of primary school pupils across Walsall have access to nutritious meals during the school day, supporting their health, wellbeing and ability to learn.
Walsall Council Public Health commissions the Food for Life Healthy Eating Programme in schools and communities. It works with 41 Early Years settings, 53 primary schools and the wider community to improve food education, and the quality of and access to healthy food for all. The Walsall programme provides access to the Early Years awards, school awards and Nourishing Community Awards, plus one-to-one support and free training. The Walsall-based Food for Life team work directly with settings to deliver in-person support and training based on individual needs. Food for Life has also taken their offer beyond the school gates, supporting the voluntary and community sector who are making good food accessible with the Nourishing Communities Award.
Alongside support for schools and early years settings, partners across Walsall are working to improve access to good food through the delivery of Walsall's Food Plan, including workforce development initiatives such as food related Very Brief Advice (VBA) training and wider partnership work that supports healthier eating across communities.
“ Good nutrition plays an important role in helping children and young people grow, learn and stay well. Across Walsall, we are working with partners to support children and families to make healthier food choices and access the support available to them. By supporting healthy habits from an early age, we can help improve health and wellbeing now and in the future. “
“ Supporting healthy eating requires schools, community groups, local businesses, healthcare organisations and public services to work together towards a shared goal. Through the Walsall Food Partnership, we are bringing partners together to improve access to nutritious food, support food education and help people develop positive food habits throughout their lives. The work taking place across Walsall demonstrates how a joined-up approach can help improve health and wellbeing across the borough. “
“ Healthy food plays an important role in supporting our pupils’ health, wellbeing and ability to learn. We want to help children understand the importance of making healthy choices and develop positive attitudes towards food from an early age. Initiatives such as Food for Life support this by encouraging pupils to explore fresh, nutritious foods and understand where their food comes from. Through cooking opportunities and practical learning, pupils develop knowledge, confidence and positive eating habits that can benefit them throughout their lives. “
Families with adolescents aged 12-19 looking for additional support can access Gro Health, a free digital health and wellbeing programme which offers tailored support on nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, sleep and wellbeing, helping people make positive changes that work for them.
To find out more about the Walsall Food Plan, visit the Walsall Council website.
Anyone who would like to find out more about Food for Life and get involved in the programme can contact Jenine Hadley (jhadley@soilassociation.org).
- To find out more about the school food standards, visit GOV.UK.
- People in Walsall can take part in Bang in Some Beans, a UK public health campaign led by The Food Foundation and Veg Power to encourage everyone to add more beans, lentils, and pulses to their daily meals. Visit their website for more information.
- Schools can also apply for Bite Back, a fully funded programme that empowers students in Years 7–10 to lead positive change in their school food environment.
- Food for Life Walsall (led by the Soil Association) has been working with local authorities across the country for over 10 years, supporting schools, nurseries, caterers and communities to embed a good food culture within their settings and beyond. The Walsall programme (funded by Walsall Council Public Health) has been running since 2017 and are delivering the Healthy Eating programme in schools and communities. To find out more about Food for Life and their local authority partnerships, visit their website.
- The Walsall Food Partnership brings together organisations from across the public, voluntary, community, housing, health, education and business sectors to improve access to good food and support healthier, fairer food systems across the borough. The partnership oversees the delivery of Feeding Walsall's Future: The Food Plan 2025-2030.
