Public Sector Sustainable Food Procurement Initiative - The Health Centre, Stibbington
Case Study: "The Healthy Centre - Growing Centre" at Stibbington.
Region: East of England
Organisation: A partnership between Cambridgeshire Environmental Education Service (Cambridgeshire County Council), the Department of Health, DfES "Growing Schools" and East Anglia Food Link (EAFL).
Description: Learning resources, opportunities and material are provided for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils at a residential Environmental Education Centre in north Cambridgeshire. The resources are designed to demonstrate how food is produced sustainably from agricultural and growing practices, and is then marketed for consumption. Pupils learn about disposal of waste, composting and recycling of nutrients in holistic ecosystems, by helping to tend the crops that are grown in the Centre's mini-horticultural plots. The concepts of food chains, and food webs are introduced. Pupils learn of the contribution made to health by a balanced, nutritious diet.
This case study illustrates the importance of engaging customers in developing quality standards at the very beginning of the procurement process. Children as consumers will come to demand more sustainable food thus shaping the procurement strategy from the outset.
Benefits:
- Benefits to pupils' education:
Because Stibbington's new "Healthy Centre - Growing Centre" teaching and learning activities have been incorporated as an integral part of all courses, more than 2,000 pupils every year who stay on 3 or 5-day residential courses at the Centre are now better educated about sustainable food production and healthy eating, and are therefore better equipped to make informed lifestyle choices. - Benefits to teachers and other adult visitors:
The Healthy Centre - Growing Centre project also benefits other adult visitors to Stibbington Centre. Teachers accompanying their school groups on residential visits acquire new ideas and information for use in follow up work at school; the resources are used in teacher training courses at the Centre; and they are also available to other adult groups using the Centre for meetings, and to the general public who visit on Open Days. - Benefits to Stibbington Centre:
As an Environmental Education Centre, and winner of the national Eco Centre award in 2000, it is important for Stibbington Centre to demonstrate that it applies sustainable principles and policies across all its operations. The Healthy Centre - Growing Centre project has complemented and extended the Centre's existing sustainability initiatives perfectly. - Benefits to wider society
The resources which have been produced as a direct result of the Healthy food - Healthy world project, as well as those which may be produced in the future (see future developments) have been designed to disseminate the scheme to a wider audience beyond those who are able to visit the Centre.
Lessons learned during implementation:
- The sheer number of different organisations working in the field of sustainable food production and healthy eating has presented a challenge. However, successful new partnerships have been established with many of them, resulting in more effective outcomes and mutual benefit for all the organisations involved.
- The residential setting of Stibbington Centre has presented opportunities that could be applied in other residential centres. Visitors staying on residential courses are a "captive audience" whose meals for the duration of their 3 or 5 day stay are all provided by the Centre. A unique opportunity exists to ensure that meals are as healthy and as sustainably produced as possible, and that diners' awareness of these issues is raised.
Future developments: In partnership with the DfES "Growing Schools" initiative and the National Association of Field Studies Officers, it is hoped that the experiences of Stibbington Centre may contribute to the production of training materials and courses, and a new educational resource for teachers on "Growing through the environment".
Further information: Head of Cambridgeshire Environmental Education Service (CEES): Rosie Edwards, Email: rosie.edwards@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01780 782386
Fax: 01780 783835
Website: www.cees.org.uk
Address: Stibbington Centre, Great North Road, Stibbington,
Peterborough PE8 6LP
Page last modified: 1 May 2003