H&F Food Plan - 2025 to 2030 -
Key achievements of the H&F food partnership and existing initiatives to build on
Food Security – ensuring no-one goes hungry or malnourished
Food for All Partnership was established in 2021, and a dedicated Food Partnership Coordinator was appointed in December 2023, supported by the Council and the Mayor of London. The partnership's membership has grown and meets every three months to promote a united approach to food systems that boosts food security and lessens food inequalities in our area, playing a vital role in the development of this food plan. A key strength of the local food partnership is knowing what each service offers, allowing residents to be easily referred between them and helping to address community needs.
The partnership officially became a member of Sustainable Food Places in 2024, gaining access to support, campaigns, awards, toolkits, and resources to further support the aims of this plan.
H&F supported UK Harvest to open Nourish Hub, a democratic food space providing 200 meals a day and serves as an important community space for residents and local organisations.
Supported Alexander Rose Charity to deliver a local Rose Voucher scheme to help families on low incomes with young children (aged 4 years and under), and pregnant women, and are given out by local children's centres, family centres and some community organisations. Families using the scheme are eating fewer sugary snacks.
Universal Breakfast Offer delivers over 600,000 breakfasts a year in primary schools via partnership with Magic Breakfast. H&F is also the first council to pilot Universal Free School Meals at secondary schools; and have studied its impact.
Provided grants to third sector partners for emergency food support during the pandemic and cost of living crisis.
H&F have supported a number of community organisations (Age UK, Dancewest, H&F Libraries, TREM Place of Sanctury, Rivercourt Methodist Church and many others) to host free Warm Welcomes spaces throughout H&F for residents to enjoy refreshments or a nutritious meal, chat with neighbours and to try out a range of activities.
H&F, in partnership with H&F Giving, launched the Winter Support Fund 2024/25, awarding grants to community organisations helping those in need. The fund assisted many households facing financial hardship, including older residents, by providing food, fuel, and essential living costs.
H&F supports West London Welcome who provide a safe social space. Their community centre is run for and with refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum. Classes, activities, advice, advocacy, food and friendship.
UK Harvest conducted 'Our Hub Your Voice,' a comprehensive assessment of the social impact experienced by residents and volunteers who engage with Nourish Hub and its services.
Barons Court Project is a day centre in Hammersmith and Fulham who support people that are on low income, homeless and/or vulnerable to mental health issues. They provide a space where people's basic needs can be met. It's a place where you can take a shower, do your laundry, and have something to eat.
The Upper Room provides a warm and welcoming environment from which they serve hot, freshly made meals every weekday afternoon. Anyone can access this service with all year round. We typically see between 60 and 100 people each session, who can either sit inside or take their food away. They also supply toiletries, clothing and bedding, and assist those in crisis to find immediate solutions. Case workers from Glass Door (housing advice) and Citizens Advice H&F (Welfare Benefits, employment and debt advice are also on site.
Healthy Eating – ensuring everyone can eat healthily
Developed an in-house Healthy Schools & Healthy Early Years training offer and support for schools and early years settings to achieve accreditation, supporting healthy eating, physical and mental health.
H&F Foodbank introduced fresh fruit and vegetables into the core 3-day emergency food parcel and to support the purchase of long-life food; chosen by a 'picking list' to maintain the dignity of beneficiaries. H&F continue to support the Foodbank through our main grants programme.
Our local Holiday Activity and Food programme, funded by the Department of Education; provided over 31,000 hot meals in 2023 to eligible families and through support of the partnership continues to develop its resources for nutrition and cooking skills. Additional funding put into the programme has extended it to cover every school holiday. In Summer 2024, 66 local partners supported delivery of a wide range of free activities: providing venues, one off sessions, educational materials and volunteers.
Promoted uptake of Healthy Start vouchers through partnership working and training with distributors and those supporting young families (e.g. health visitors and training for front line staff).
Many schools in H&F are now water-only schools, and we encourage schools to engage in healthy eating education in settings such as the Nourish Hub and accessing food growing at community garden sites run by Hammersmith Community Gardens Association. Our resident football club trusts, Chelsea and QPR, are actively going into schools in the most deprived areas to provide health education, Chelsea FC Trust have linked with Imperial College's Connecting Care for Children Initiative to link dietetic support into Chelsea's Healthy Schools programme. We're also exploring joining the Refill Destination programme to provide greater access to free drinking water across the local community.
H&F holds a gold award of accreditation with UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative. One in only four London boroughs.
H&F is one of the London local authorities, taking part in the Healthier Catering Commitment (HCC) scheme. The voluntary scheme is run by London Boroughs, with support from the Mayor of London, the London Food Board and ALEHM. So far 34 Restaurants, takeaways, sandwich bars and other caterers 34 local restaurants, cafes and sandwich bars have been awarded Healthier Catering Commitment.
Connecting Communities – ensuring no-one in the borough has to eat alone
Supported the development of new community food initiatives and enterprises through identifying gaps, consulting communities, and providing access to tools, resources, training and advice. The Council, external grant funders and the Food Partnership Coordinator have supported several local projects and through the H&F Hive – Spacehive community crowding funding platform including community led projects from community kitchens to community gardening and food growing spaces.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council continues to work with local volunteers to support refuges and those seeking asylum including Ukrainian refugees. The Quaker Meeting House in Hammersmith hosts monthly informative meet ups for those who have fled Ukraine. Gatherings continue to provide a sense of community and offer practical advice and support to help with the transition to living in the UK.
Facilitating food growing projects in community spaces and building partnerships to embed sustainability. The Climate & Ecology team have supported several community groups microgrants to deliver projects and initiatives that support food growing across the borough.
Hammersmith & Fulham provide a range of activities for older isolated residents including silver socials and the Christmas Day Lunch.
There are several food charities, including Nourish Hub and Food Cycle that provide opportunities for local people to come together to cook, eat and learn about how to eat more healthily.
The Sharing Table was developed and is a collection of much-loved recipes and family favourites that has been compiled from a range of local Hammersmith & Fulham residents and supported by H&F Giving. The recipes are simple to make and don't ask for any specialist ingredients. It is distributed by local partners including Nourish Hub, H&F Food Bank and West London Welcome amongst others.
Sustainable food systems – people can eat without damaging the environment
H&F is further funding phase 3 of the 'Eat Like a Londoner' campaign which provides information to residents including areas like easy low-cost healthy recipes and shopping on a budget.
The H&F Climate Alliance is the council's business network formed to engage with businesses as well as charities, schools and community groups on climate and ecology topics - including food waste reduction and sustainable food - to support local action across the borough.
Fees for new market traders on North End Road Market are reduced for up to 18 months, with free parking support. Branded market gazebos, tables, and chairs are available for loan to cut trading costs. Departments are planning ways to help traders recycle food waste before March 2025. Traders are required to reduce single-use plastics, and reusable branded bags were provided to them.
Nourish Hub has been commissioned by numerous Council events to provide nutritious, climate-friendly catering. Room hire and Catering packages include vegetarian and vegan food made with surplus food to reduce food waste. Revenue generated through these commissioned offers are put back into Nourish Hub to provide low-cost meals for the community and offer education sessions for disadvantaged children and adults.
H&F introduced new food waste bins to thousands of homes enabling more residents to recycle food scraps and unwanted leftovers.
Food Cycle aims to tackle both food poverty and loneliness by providing meals and fostering community interaction. They repurpose surplus food that would otherwise be wasted, ensuring that it's used to nourish those in need. Food Cycle current serves free, nutritious meals at Family Hub Tudor Rose in Fulham and Our Lady of Fatima Parish Centre in White City.
Hammersmith Community Gardens Association (HCGA) manage four community gardens in Hammersmith & Fulham. HCGA has a range of projects which include conservation training schemes, volunteer gardening sessions, health and wellbeing projects, environmental playschemes and environmental education in local schools. They assist local groups in the design, plan and management of their green spaces. We promote environmental sustainability within the borough and manage our sites to maximise biodiversity and encourage wildlife.
H&F's plastic free policy seeks to eliminate non-essential single-use plastics from the Council's operations. The policy defines 'non-essential single-use plastics' as those included in the Government's single-use plastic bans and restrictions, and where applicable, packaging in the scope of the UK plastic packaging tax. The policy also seeks to achieve a reduction in single-use plastic consumption and increase in recycling across the borough.