Join us online to find out more
The South West Food Hub, in collaboration with our sponsors and partners, is holding a series of online events to provide more information about the Future Food Framework and supplying to the public sector.
Our events will feature more information to help producers and suppliers to prepare to join the platform and supply through it, including details about accreditations, food standards and reducing carbon impact.
2 March 2021: Healthy Eating and Food Procurement
Join us online on 2 March when we’ll be considering how food procurement can positively influence healthy eating.
We’re delighted to be joined by public health experts Grace Davies, Public Health Principal of Bristol City Council, Philip Shelley, Chair of the Independent Review of NHS Hospital Food and Myles Bremner of Bremner Consulting (former National Director of England’s School Food Plan).
10 March 2021: Future Food Framework – Assurance Schemes
Join us online on 10 March when we’ll be joined by representatives from the Defra policy team to lead a collaborative discussion to consider what assurance schemes may look like for the Future Food Framework. We’re also pleased to be joined by Anthony Mangnall, Conservative MP for Totnes and Steve Ashworth, Tax Director at PKF Francis Clark who will give an update following the 2021 Budget on 3 March.
Previous Events
18 February 2021: Climate Change and Food Procurement
On 18 February, our Project Manager for the West of England region, Chrissie Storry, hosted an event to consider the links between food procurement and climate change. Rich Osborne from Equilibrium Markets gave some fascinating statistics and figures around food production and climate change, and insightful guidance as to how we can reduce the impact of climate change by changing the way we produce, choose and procure food. We also had a fantastic presentation from Stuart Rostance, a school catering manager, who was involved in the early pilot for dynamic food procurement in Bath in 2016.
3 February 2021: Brexit Support for SMEs
On 3 February we were joined by our partner organisations to discuss what Brexit changes mean for small to medium sized businesses and how to prepare for the changes. We were also delighted to be joined by Neil Parish MP and hear his support for the South West Food Hub and Future Food Framework.
10 December: A Fresh Opportunity for the West of England
On Thursday 10 December our Project Manager for the West of England region, Chrissie Storry, kicked off a series of targeted conversations and information for the West of England. We heard from Richard Howroyd, who led a smaller pilot for the Future Food Framework in Bath and North East Somerset schools, and also from the West of England Growth Hub on the support they can offer food and rural businesses in the South West.
26 November: A Fresh Opportunity
On Thursday 26 November we held an online event to talk about the importance of the Future Food Framework. We were joined by MP Simon Jupp, Peter Fletcher, Category Manager and Sustainable Procurement Manager at the University of Exeter and Tom Moore, Head of Food and Drink at Stephens Scown LLP.
Future Food Framework: Introduction to Logistics
On 21 October we held our first SWFH online event, facilitated by Exeter City Futures, to provide an introduction to the opportunity to supply logistics services for the Future Food Framework pilot. We were joined by Ben Peel, of Equilibrium Markets, who gave an overview of how logistics worked for a similar pilot in Bath and North East Somerset schools, and also Paul Wilkes of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, who gave a brief introduction to accreditations for logistics suppliers. You can find their presentations in our resources section.
Opportunities for farmers in public procurement food contracts
Our Co-Founder Greg Parsons presented at an online event held by the NFU for Gloucestershire and the Countryside and Community Research Institute, to talk about dynamic public procurement contracts and how this opens up opportunities for farmers to supply directly to the public sector.
