School Meals under spotlight - Lewisham Council urged to go organic

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Green Party Councillor Darren Johnson and LEAP (Local Education Action by Parents) councillor, Helen LeFevre have joined forces to call on Lewisham Council to adopt healthy nutritious and sustainable school meals. They have put forward a motion for debate at Wednesday's full Council meeting (14.09.2005), calling on the Mayor of Lewisham to back the targets recommended by the Soil Association that 30% of all food in school meals is organic, 50% is sourced from the local region and three quarters is made from unprocessed ingredients.

Green Party Councillor, Darren Johnson, commented, "There have been welcome improvements to Lewisham's catering contract for school meals but we need clear targets. I hope the Council adopts the recommended targets for school meals so that we promote organic produce, cut out unnecessary junk food and reduce the distances that ingredients have to travel in order to help the environment and support farmers in the South East."

Notes for Editors 1. The full motion to be debated on Wednesday 14th September 2005 at 7.30pm is: "This council endorses the Food for Life campaign by the Soil Association, aimed at encouraging healthy, nutritious and sustainable school meals. Councillors welcome the Mayor's commitment to exploring the introduction of organic food to Lewisham's school meals under the improved catering contract and urge the Mayor and Cabinet to adopt the targets set out in the Food for Life campaign that 30% of all food in school meals is organic, 50% is sourced from the local region and three quarters is made from unprocessed ingredients." Proposed: Cllr Darren Johnson Seconded: Cllr Helen LeFevre 2.In a written answer to Darren Johnson in June the Mayor confirmed that "Organic food is not currently offered under the PFI contract for school meals" but that they are currently exploring the introduction of organic food.