School Meals campaign hots up

At this week's full Council Meeting Lewisham's Green councillor, Darren Johnson, presented a petition signed by 531 local residents backing the campaign for healthy, organic and environmentally sustainable school meals. The petition calls on the Council to adopt the Soil Association targets that 30% of the food served in school meals is organic and 50% is sourced from the local region. The Mayor of Lewisham has agreed to look at introducing organic food to school meals but has so far failed to back the targets recommended by the Soil Association.

Cllr Darren Johnson said, "Jamie Oliver did a great job in persuading councils to take out the processed junk from school meals. However, this is about the next stage of the campaign. We need to promote healthy organic produce and reduce the distances that ingredients have to travel in order to help the environment and support farmers in the South East. Over 500 signatures in favour of the campaign shows the strength of feeling locally."

More information: Call Darren Johnson on 07887 737 276

NOTES FOR EDITORS 1. Details of the Soil Association's recommendations for school meals can be found at: http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/GetInvolved/ffl.html

ALLOTMENT HOLDERS KEEP THE PRESSURE ON

At this week's full council meeting, Brockley Green councillor, Darren Johnson, presented a petition signed by 250 local residents objecting to the closure of St. Norbert's Allotments. Plot-holders were sent eviction notices by the site owners, UGS Properties, telling them to vacate their plots by April this year. The petition calls on Lewisham Council to make a compulsory purchase of the land or reach an agreement with the owners to ensure it remains protected as a green space and a resource for the community forever.

Darren Johnson commented, "The Council have said they will support the plot-holders but they have not yet said how they are going to ensure the allotments are protected. The site has little commercial value as a designated green space and nature conservation area and if the current landowners don't want to keep the allotments open, the Council should buy the site to safeguard its future."

The allotments are situated along the railway line between Brockley and Honour Oak Park and are part of a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. As such, they enjoy special protection through the planning system.

NOTES TO EDITORS The Secretary of the Allotments Association is Ian Findlay on 07931 905 002

Darren Johnson can be contacted on 07887 737 276