A journey to the Sustainable Food Places Bronze Award
GREAT Food Gloucestershire was a campaign designed to unify organisations, communities and individuals under a shared “Good Food Movement.” Its goal was to improve health, sustainability, and equity across the county’s food system.
The campaign served as a vehicle for Gloucestershire’s submission to the Sustainable Food Places Bronze award. In November 2023, this collective effort resulted in the county being awarded the Bronze Award – a landmark achievement that celebrated everyone striving to make Gloucestershire a more sustainable place to live and eat.
The campaign’s objectives
GREAT Food Gloucestershire focused on three core areas:
- Connecting organisations, communities and individuals interested in sustainable food
- Raising awareness of local projects, events and opportunities to get involved
- Communicating the work of Sustainable Food Champions across the county
Key areas of action
The campaign brings together work across four strands:
1. Healthy food for all | Led by Feeding Gloucestershire
We focused on tackling food insecurity through coordinated action. By working with Gloucestershire County Council Public Health, District Council Teams and community organisations, we improved the uptake of schemes like Healthy Start and developed affordable food initiatives to ensure everyone can access the food they need.
2. A sustainable food economy | Led by Visit Gloucestershire
This strand focused on the “business” side of food. It aimed to strengthen local supply chains, and support sustainable food businesses, creating opportunities for locally produced food to be more widely available across the county.
3. Catering and procurement | Led by the Gloucestershire Food and Farming Partnership (GFFP)
The focus here was on large-scale change. Partners worked to improve food standards in the public sector, using collective purchasing power to support local producers and healthier diets in schools, hospitals and workspaces.
4. Food for the planet | Led by Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) South West
This was the “boots on the ground” element. FWAG worked directly with farmers to protect our soil, restore hedges and rivers, plant meadows, count farmland birds, teach children and even set up a new no-till horticultural project. This strand focuses on reducing food waste, encouraging sustainable food choices, and supporting initiatives that protect nature and reduce the environmental impact of food.
Building a foundation
The campaign was dedicated to connecting people. It raised awareness of local events, shared stories of Sustainable Food Champions, and created a network of individuals passionate about change.
The connections made and the standards set during this campaign will continue to inform our work.
Explore more from this project:
Read the sustainable food places journey blog
View local stories from the move
