Welcome to our first monthly round-up of events. Each month we will be reflecting on the events that we have attended, highlighting the important work and discussions happening around policy issues across food, education, infant feeding, sustainable procurement equity in food systems.
This month:
Food Education Mapping Project (FEMP) Conference
3 June
School of Artisan Food
To kick off the start of our June events, Cressida joined a gathering of food educators and advocates at a special event hosted by the School of Artisan Food to showcase the findings of the Food Education Mapping Project (FEMP). Commissioned by the School and supported by our team, the FEMP research set out to map and understand the wide range of statutory and voluntary projects working to transform food culture and education in schools.
The event brought the project to life with insightful presentations drawn from visits to 23 secondary schools across the country, alongside workshops exploring how food education can be enhanced across the curriculum, how food provision within schools can be harnessed as a learning tool through a whole school approach, and how local communities and employers can be brought along in the process.
It was a brilliant opportunity for educators to connect, exchange ideas, and reignite their shared enthusiasm for improving food education. Naturally, the lunch was a marked highlight – thoughtfully prepared and a great example of the School’s ethos in action.
Festival of Fresh
5th June
Fresh Produce Journal
Rosie attended Festival of Fresh, a fresh produce sector-focused event in Lincolnshire, hosted by the Fresh Produce Journal, a leading voice in the UK’s fresh produce industry. We shared insights from our Follow the Carrot Project, which explores how expanding free school meals could create better economic opportunities for UK growers and food producers through strengthened school food supply chains. The event brought together producers, NGOs, retailers, and supply chain organisations, and offered a valuable chance to contextualise our work and connect on this important policy area for school food.
Reframing Food Education Event
10th June
Hackney School of Food and TastEd
As part of our work on food education, Cressida joined a group of organisations united by a shared commitment to improving children’s health and well-being through food education at Hackney School of Food. Workshops and panel discussions invited attendees to reflect on food education from a broad perspective – from integrating sustainability into teaching, to exploring creative approaches to experiential learning both in and beyond the classroom, and using cookery skills to inspire joy, confidence, and a passion for food. The day underscored the need to give food education the recognition it deserves – as a powerful tool to empower children and shape their futures – and to make a stronger case for ensuring it is accessible to all. Highlights from the day include a TastEd workshop exploring sensory learning through food, and time in Hackney School’s beautiful garden – an uplifting setting that embodied the kind of food education we need more of.
The Gathering Table: A Summit on Racial Justice in Food and Farming
11th June
Sustain and Eating Better
Harry attended The Gathering Table, the first in a series of events convened by Sustain and Eating Better to explore racial justice in the UK food system – a powerful and necessary conversation that asked participants to move beyond comfort and into vulnerability. Both Sustain and Eating Better have gathered momentum around their racial justice work; alongside the Food and Racial Justice Working Group and the forthcoming Culture Roots Collective, this event created the space to share personal food stories, confront whiteness and privilege, and reflect on the role of solidarity in driving change. A core message resonated clearly: solidarity is needed for change – it takes bravery and vulnerability – especially for those accustomed to comfort within unjust systems. If we are serious about transforming the food system, we must be serious about tackling the structural racial injustices within it – together, actively, and continually.
School Food APPG
12th June
School Food APPG/Office of Sharon Hodgson
Bremner & Co had the pleasure of attending the latest School Food APPG meeting at Westminster. Sharon Hodgson MP led an optimistic session following the government’s recent announcement to expand free school meal eligibility to children in families on Universal Credit – a significant step towards Universal Free School Meals. We were proud to share initial findings from our Follow the Carrot, together with Barbara Crowther from Sustain, who originally commissioned the research. We were particularly struck by Bite Back youth campaigners, who spoke passionately about their own experiences with school food – including the stark reality of lunch breaks so short that some students regularly go without eating. It was a strong reminder that while there’s much to celebrate, there’s still plenty of work ahead to ensure all children can access nutritious, high-quality meals at school.
Health Equity Event
17th June
UCL Institute of Health Equity
Dayna attended the Health Equity Event, in line with our work on the Early Years Food Coalition and Early Years, to celebrate the work of Sir Michael Marmot, and to explore how local areas are tackling health inequalities through the Marmot Places initiative. There was thoughtful discussion on how using more accessible language around the social determinants of health might help widen public engagement, the importance of a life course approach, with particular focus on the early years, and attendees also heard how Manchester is embedding equity into all its policies through the Making Manchester Fairer programme, with Dr Cordelle Ofori offering a compelling case for listening to community voices. Sir Michael Marmot’s closing speech resonated; reminding us of the key principles that guide his work: truth- using evidence and speaking truth to power, justice – creating the conditions for people to lead flourishing lives, and hope.
Infant Feeding
18th June
APPG Infant Feeding
Dayna recently attended the APPG for Infant Feeding hosted by Jess Brown-Fuller MP. The event coincided with the release of the World Breastfeeding Trends UK Report 2024 – a global initiative tracking progress on breastfeeding support across 10 policy indicators. The UK’s score dropped by almost three points since the last report in 2016. On the indicator of counselling services for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, England and Wales have each dropped by two points out of ten, scoring around half as well as Scotland and Northern Ireland. Generally, this means less than 50% of women are receiving any form of counselling on breastfeeding in England and Wales, whereas in Scotland and Northern Ireland, that number is almost 100%. This is one example of the lack of policy progress that exists across breastfeeding policy in the UK.
At the APPG, Dayna shared her views from our work on infant feeding and early years policy, emphasising the need to keep breastfeeding visible in conversations about early years, and how sustained MP engagement is key to driving meaningful policy change. It was also a chance to highlight how the inclusion of breastfeeding and infant formula in the newly updated DfE early years nutrition guidance presents an important opportunity to embed infant feeding in broader policy discussions.
The School Meals Service: Past, Present – and Future?
19th June
University of Sheffield
Myles attended The School Meals Service: Past, Present – and Future?, a thought-provoking conference bringing together researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates to reflect on the history of the UK’s school meals service since its origins in 1906. Hosted by University College London, the University of Sheffield, and the University of Wolverhampton, the day combined presentations of key research findings with lively discussions on the future of school food.
It was inspiring to hear about the lived experiences of pupils, teachers, parents, and catering staff, and to see these stories placed at the heart of policy recommendations. Highlights included Sharon Hodgson MP’s reflections on the APPG’s vision for universal provision, Jason O’Rourke’s insights from the frontline as a headteacher, and the final plenary which encouraged everyone to envision a more equitable school food system. For us, the event was a timely reminder that understanding the past is essential to shaping a better future for school meals; one that works for all children, families, and communities.
World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK Report on infant feeding policies and programmes in the UK
24 June
World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative UK
Cressida attended an event marking the launch of the latest WBTi report, which informed policy conversations led by Jessica Brown-Fuller during a recent parliamentary debate on infant feeding. The event resonated strongly with our ongoing research with Impact on Urban Health on breastfeeding. Highlights included Professor Amy Brown’s powerful presentation on lived experiences of accessing formula, and important reflections on the language we use – such as framing infant formula more accurately as commercially produced powdered milk, in contrast to as a substitute for breast milk.
The No Child Left Behind Campaign
27th June , National Education Union
On the 27th June, Rosie joined educators, researchers, and global experts to discuss the National Education Union’s No Child Left Behind campaign, which seeks an end child poverty. Here, the atmosphere echoed the School Food APPG; celebratory in light of the welcome news on the extension of Free School Meals, but with awareness that this was just the first step. The event featured powerful contributions, including reflections from Year 6 students who had recently taken this message all the way to 10 Downing Street. Their efforts – and the inspiring conversations throughout the day – left us energised and committed to the next step: securing true universality and building a school food system that truly supports every child.
We look forward to sharing where we’ve been next month, and continuing this vital conversation.
Written by Tessa Goodman